


First Rule of Phantom Thieving: Never Hook Up With Someone Trying To Kill You

by casanova (stunojeel)



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Akira is not subtle, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blow Jobs, Choking, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Explicit Sexual Content, Fantasizing, Hand Kink, Hate Sex, Hate to Love, Hook-Up, Implied Sexual Content, Like, M/M, Masturbation, Metaverse (Persona 5), PWP, Pain, Pining, Rivals, Sexual Tension, Spoilers, at all, vanilla p5 spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:01:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26784841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stunojeel/pseuds/casanova
Summary: They say to keep your friends close & your enemies closer.Kurusu Akira may have taken that a little too literally.
Relationships: Akechi Goro & Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro & Persona 5 Protagonist, Akechi Goro & Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 15
Kudos: 200





	1. I can't find it in myself to want to lie

**Author's Note:**

> SO!!! I've recently rebought and replayed both the original Persona 5 and Royal (for the first time, I'm not quite finished yet) and I must say I'm obsessed. So this fic spawned out of my love for the OG p5 but also the absolute hurt I felt for the way they did my boi Akechi dirty.
> 
> hope you enjoy :))
> 
> p.s I have no idea how long this story is gonna be??? we're just gonna feel it out if???

Kurusu Akira knew he was fucked from the moment he started paying attention to Akechi Goro's hands. 

The first time he noticed it was months ago, on their first casual outing. Akira didn't expect himself to notice that the Detective Prince asked for a handshake with his left was now playing billiards with his right. When the thought crossed his mind, he almost felt the need to doubt it. He couldn't help but let his eyes linger over his long, slender fingers.

"Aren't you left-handed?"

"Hmm?" Akechi looked up at Akira through his hair from his position leaning over the table.

"At the TV station, I shook your left hand." He could feel his face heating up. "You hold your briefcase with your right because it's your non-dominant hand. But you're using your right."

Akechi's mouth curled into a smile too sharp to be considered warm. He stood up straight, leaving his cue on the table. "Very perceptive. I'm surprised you noticed. It is true, I'm much better with my left but I supposed I'd go easy on you since you're a beginner. However, I'm quite ambidextrous so it may not have been as much of a handicap as I first expected." He gave an airy giggle, a sound that traveled all the way to the pit of Akira's stomach. "You have a keen eye. If you were into investigating, I'd say you'd put my career in jeopardy."

Akira brushed a loose strand of hair out of his face. "I don't think I'd fit being a detective."

"And why is that?"

He thought about it for a moment, trying to pry his eyes away from Akechi's hands. "Too many suits and too much paperwork."

Akechi laughed. "I must say, I wasn't expecting that. You always manage to keep me on my toes, Kurusu-Kun. Regardless, you're charismatic enough to sway the public opinion. We could be a duo, you know."

"Oh really?"

"The detective prince and his cunning, debonair Casanova. I would capture and criminals and you would help me capture the hearts of the public. We could be quite a pair."

Akira cracked a goofy grin. "I would argue you do enough heart capturing without my help. Have you seen your stan accounts? Your fangirls are obsessed."

"That they are but not everybody falls for the charming intelligent good detective demeanor. You cover all the bases that I don't. You're staunch, quiet, and mysterious. You'd intrigue quite a large audience."

"Take the shot, Akechi." He huffed, trying not to let Akechi's fantasies distract him.

He chuckled lightly, bending back over the table to line up the shot with his fingers.

Akira tried his best not to stare. "You don't need to use your right hand."

"Come again?"

"I said, don't go easy on me. I'd rather face your true potential."

Akechi looked at him, gaze as sharp as his wit. The steely cool stare of Goro Aketchi was as hot as a blaring bulb in an interrogation room. Akira could feel the heat rising in his face. "If you insist." He swapped the cue to his other hand before continuing with the game.

Akira hoped that'd be the last time he'd hyper fixate over Goro Akechi's hands. But as fate would have it, he wasn't that lucky. 

* * *

Summertime was always bipolar. But Akira had never seen anything like the Tokyo torrential downpours. Raindrops the size of golf balls pounded the pavement so hard that even the short run from the station to LeBlanc seemed like miles. The wind wrapped around his body it felt like he was in the middle of a storm conjured by Morgana's persona. His clothes had soaked all the way through, leaving his white school shirt completely transparent. He fumbled with his keys and pushed on the door of LeBlanc, the sweet chime of a bell echoing through the dark cafe.

"Seems like Boss is already gone." Morgana sighed.

The boy shrugged, placing the bag the on booth. "We are quite late... I'm surprised we even made it while the trains were still running."

Morgana bounced from booth to counter, shaking his body. "Gaaaaah! I hate the rain. It always messes up my fur."

"You're the one who insisted on coming out of the bag."

"You try being in there!" He whined, scratching his ear. "It's so stuffy."

Akira threw off his school jacket, wringing it out. The fresh rainwater splattered against LeBlanc's wooden floors.

"Gross! What would Boss say if he saw you doing that?" 

He shot him a glare. "Boss isn't here right now, is he? Let me strip in peace." 

Morgana groaned. "My poor innocent eyes."

"You and I both know you've probably seen me doing more... Questionable things." Akira chuckled as he unbuttoned his school shirt, letting it hang loosely off his shoulders. "Could you make yourself useful and try to find me a towel?"

"Ugh," Morgana groaned in disgust. "Don't remind me." There was a quiet pitter-patter of paws on the wooden floor as the cat (who totally wasn't a cat) made his way over to the kitchen. "Damn, these shelves are a mess! Someone ought to tell Boss to organize this place."

"Go ahead." He smirked, joining the cat.

"No thanks, I choose life."

Akira laughed, crouching to peer through the cabinets. "You aren't being reckless for once? That's a change."

"Hey! I'm only reckless because of your leadership."

"Excuse you but I am a _great_ leader-"

He was interrupted by the soft chiding of a bell.

"Pardon my intrusion. It seems I've interrupted a very important argument between you... and your cat?"

Akira stood up to see Akechi Goro, standing in LeBlanc's doorway. He was in the same state as Akira, his normally perfect hair falling in damp and matted messiness. His coat was soaked.

Akira was suddenly aware of how almost-naked he was. 

"M-my apologizes, I didn't realize you were in the middle of something." Akechi fumbled, putting one gloved hand over his face. He seemed to be swaying on his feet. "I was just seeking shelter from the storm and the sign said 'open' so I-"

 _Fuck, Sojiro forgot to flip the sign!_ "No, it's okay..." Akira felt his face heat up. "I was just getting out of my wet clothes. Come in."

"Look who it is," Morgana scowled, arching his back. "The Detective Prince."

"Be nice." Akira scolded, leaning against the counter. "So what brings you near Yongen-Jaya at this time?"

Hesitantly, Akechi set his briefcase down on one of the booths before taking a seat. "Unfortunately, trying to balance detective work and studying for my exams can get a little messy. I got caught up in a very unproductive meeting before I remembered the train shut-off time. Although, it seems I've already missed my next one, despite my best efforts." He sunk his teeth into his lower lip. "I'm sorry for taking refuge here, I didn't know of anywhere else close by."

"It's okay, the weather is horrible outside anyways."

"You're too kind, K-Kurusu-san," Akechi smiled.

Akira felt a ping go off in his chest. He tried to ignore the lingering gaze of the high-school detective over every inch of his bare skin. Akechi's dark eyes scanned up and down until Akira felt like a piece of meat on display. His wet pants seemed to grow tighter with the passing seconds. "P-please, you can call me Akira."

"Akira it is then." His eyes went from intently studying the curves in Akira's muscles to scanning the empty interior of LeBlanc, shivering in his seat. He wrapped his arms around himself in a futile attempt to stop shaking. "The rain we're having is q-quite severe. I'm not used to this k-kind of thing in the summertime. If I had known, I might've t-taken an umbrella."

"Hindsight is a wonderful thing, Akechi."

He frowned, his body racking in shivers. "I-Indeed it is."

"Are you... okay?"

Akechi smiled. "I'm just a b-bit cold. I'll be f-fine."

"Y'know, for someone with so much media presence, he's a real shitty liar," Morgana scoffed.

Akira gave him the look before turning back to Akechi. "Is there anything I can get you?"

"Nothing really, b-but... Would you m-mind if I made myself s-some coffee? It might h-help with the c-cold."

"Please, allow me."

Making a cup of coffee was like running over a well-rehearsed ballet for the millionth time for Akira. His fingers danced without thinking, knowing the movements without even needing to look. He seemed to go into a trance, blocking out whatever was around him. The aroma of rich coffee beans wafted through the empty wooden walls of LeBlanc. He looked up through long lashes and fluffy hair to see Akechi, watching on in what could almost be called awe. Akira smiled smugly to himself as he placed a mug in front of the other boy.

"Bon appétit!" He smiled.

"...Isn't t-that only supposed to be used in an eating context?"

"Shut up, I was trying to be fancy."

Akechi gave a half-hearted chuckle followed by another shudder. "I d-don't think you can begin to attempt fancy with your shirt buttons undone." He wrapped his hands around the mug, hoping the warmth would sink into his bones. 

Akira feigned hurt. "Does my shirtlessness bother you, Goro?"

"Maybe just a l-little bit."

They locked eyes and for a second, it felt like electricity was shooting through Akira's body. Every volt sent his hairs standing on their ends. He couldn't help but stare into the detective's dark brown eyes that seemed almost red in the low lighting of the abandoned cafe. Although they were meters apart, he could sense the way Akechi's muscles tensed at the prolonged eye contact.

"Do you mind if I go get changed? Seeing that my shirtlessness bothers you so much."

He gave a dull smile. "N-not at all."

The floorboards creaked under Akira's feet as he bounded into the attic, discarding his wet clothes onto the floor. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Morgana demanded, pacing on the desk.

"...Getting changed?"

He groaned. "I meant with the detective, smartass! He slanders us every talk show and your first instinct is to invite him in?!"

Akira glared at him. "What was I supposed to do, leave him in the rain?"

"Yes!"

He scoffed. "I'm just being nice; There's nothing wrong with that."

"I guess so... As long as you don't fall in love with him, it's fine."

Akira almost choked on his own saliva. "W-what?! As if I ever would... Ha, imagine that. Me, falling in love with Goro Akechi. How crazy would that be?" He tried to hide the heat he could feel creeping into his cheeks.

"Ugh, you're hopeless. Please, try to take this seriously."

 _Thank god, he thought I was joking._ "If you don't want to hang around him, go see Futaba." He glared.

Without waiting for Morgana's response, Akira quickly changed into some dry clothes and piled more up in his arms. He headed back downstairs to the song of the late-night news.

_"And in our top stories this hour, polls for the elections due in November place Masayoshi Shido as the early frontrunner, followed by-"_

Akechi gave a half-hearted chuckle as Akira approached him. "Masayoshi Shido, huh? He's the only politician anybody seems to talk about. The public seems to adore him. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's already won the elections." His fingers mindlessly trailed the edge of the mug, his face expressionless. The black gloves that were normally glued to his skin lay forgotten on the table. Dark bags strained underneath his eyes. He was too deep in thought to notice Akira sitting down across from him. "What do you think of him, Akira?"

"I try not to involve myself in politics."

"Hmm? And why is that?"

Akira shrugged. "Their whole careers are based on how well they can lie. They have to appeal to as big a demographic as possible to get voted in. They all have their own personal agendas on top of their policies. They all seem... I don't know, corrupt, I guess?" His dark gray eyes followed Akechi's fingers tracing the edge of his mug, steady and deliberate. He didn't seem to be shaking anymore. Akira let his eyes linger as he wrapped his hand back around the base of the mug.

_God, he has such nice hands. They're so perfect; They look so soft. I want to reach out and grab them... But then he'll think I'm weird. Could I use the excuse of 'they looked cold'? Or would that be even stranger? I don't want to scare him off. Look at his long, slender fingers wrapped around that mug. I bet they'd look even better wrapped around my-_

"...Kurusu-san?"

Akira was pulled from his thoughts. "Yeah?"

"Why do you have a pile of clothes?"

He looked down and remembered about the spare clothes he had stacked in his lap. "Oh! These are for you."

Akechi seemed taken aback. "F-for me?"

"Yeah. You look to be about my size and I can't let you just sit here in wet clothes, you'll catch a cold."

"Thank you but I-"

"You're not gonna win this argument, Detective Prince, so don't even start."

He gave Akira a glare across the table before scooping the cloth out of his lap. "Fine, if you insist." He got up and moved into LeBlanc's bathroom, leaving Akira by himself in the booth.

A few minutes passed before Akechi came out of the bathroom. The raven-haired boy's breath hitched in his throat at the sight.

Akechi Goro, with his messy damp hair, was standing in LeBlanc in Kurusu Akira's clothes. Akira was right about them being roughly the same size but the hoodie Akira had given him fell a couple of inches lower than his hips. The shorts he had given him sat comfortably around his legs and sat just above the knees.

"Holy shit..." Akira muttered to himself. 

"A-are you sure this is okay, Akira? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable..." His cheeks were pink with visible embarrassment. 

He waved it off, gaining back his composure. "It's fine, really. What'd you do with your other clothes?"

"I left them in the bathroom."

"There's a laundromat across the road if you want to sort it out." 

Akechi sat back down on the bench. "I'll do it soon enough. Right now I'm just enjoying not needing to be anywhere."

"You seem tired, Goro."

He smiled weakly. "That's because I am. Assignments have been flooding in since the Phantom Thieves took down Medjed so I'm a little under the weather at work. Not to mention, it's exam season, so it'd be deceiving to say that I'm not drowning in work. It's fine though, I'm managing." 

Akira bit his bottom lip. "You and I have very different ideas about managing."

"Come again?"

"You look half dead, Akechi."

"Suffice it to say, I definitely feel it too."

"Do you... want another coffee?"

He smiled. "That'd be lovely."

Akira got up and walked back towards the coffee siphons. Muscle memory took over once again as the rich aroma of roasting coffee beans filled the cafe. He moved like a well-oiled machine, a software program running the same loop of code for the billionth time. One thing Akira didn't account for, however, was the puddle of water left on the floor from when he wrung out his jacket. His foot came out from underneath him, throwing him off balance. The mug in his hand shattered as he landed hard against the floor.

"Akira!"

"Shit, shit, shit, shit!"

Scolding hot coffee split over his fresh clothes. The heat stung Akira's cold skin. Akechi rounded the corner past the counter and looked down at the sight before him. He began giggling.

"It's not funny," Akira groaned, pushing himself upon his hands.

Akechi couldn't stop smirking, his eyes glinting with malicious intent. "I never thought I'd see dignified, staunch Kurusu Akira on the floor covered in coffee. It's funny watching your image unravel right before my very eyes. I must say, you look good flustered."

If Akira wasn't flustered before, he definitely was now. He tried not to show off the heat he could feel in his cheeks. "S-shut it, Goro."

"I'm only teasing, of course." He offered a hand that Akira accepted, yanking him to his feet. "Although it might be best for your laundry bill if you stop buying white shirts." His crimson eyes lingered over the other boy's chest, which was now visible due to the coffee spill.

"I think you're right with that one."

Akechi stared into Akira's eyes. "I'm always right, Kurusu-san." His pupils flicked down.

Akira tried to ignore the lingering eyes over his chest. "Hubris is going to be your downfall, Akechi."

"On the contrary, I don't think there's anything wrong with having confidence in your abilities." He took a step closer, closing the space between them. "My stellar deduction skills are the reason I've got as far as I am today."

"Confidence and arrogance are two different things." Akira took a step back, hitting the counter.

Rule number one of Phantom Thieving: Always have a way out. Whether it be a dusty vent or a smokescreen, you have to leave an exit; It's amateur not to. When the going gets tough, it's handy to have a way to flee. But here, in the lowlight of LeBlanc with a storm raging outside, Akechi had left him nowhere to run. For the first time, Akira didn't have an exit.

Akechi leaned in, trapping Akira between his arms and the counter. "You're shaking, Kurusu." He smirked.

"It's cold," He muttered, trying to ignore the feeling growing in his pants.

"If I'm not mistaken, you split scolding coffee all over yourself a moment ago."

"...No I didn't."

He laughed, bringing his face closer to Akira's. "I had to guess, I'd say you were shaking for a different reason."

"And what might that be?"

Akechi brought his hand up. Akira glued his eyes to the other boy's fingers as he wiped something from away from the corner of his mouth, tenderly. The feeling of Goro Akechi's hand brushing against his lips made his skin ignite. "Sorry, there was some coffee on your face."

Yet he didn't pull his hand away.

"A-Akechi?"

_Holy shit, holy shit, Goro-motherfucking-Akechi has his hand on my face. I'm going to die. I'm going to combust and die and explode like this in pure bliss._

He used his fingers to tip Akira's chin up. "Like a deer in the headlights, Akira." He chuckled quietly, leaning in so his lips were almost touching the other's ear. "You're normally so quiet and composed. Who would've ever thought I'd have the notorious leader of the Phantom Thieves quivering like this?"

Akira ripped his head out of Akechi's grip. "W-what?"

"I see." He smirked. "You didn't deny it."

"I think you're-"

"Mistaken?" He mocked. "I doubt that. Too many coincidences and match-ups with the timeline. _Conveniently_ , you become close to Ryuji Sakamoto and Ann Takamai weeks before their abuser has a change of heart. Just before Madarame admitted to his crimes of plagiarism, you became well aquatinted with his last remaining student, Yusuke Kitagawa. It's all too convenient for any good detective to overlook." He leaned in so close Akira could feel him breathing. "There's no point trying to disprove my theory, Akira. I know you and your little friends are the Phantom Thieves."

Akira looked down.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Tension so thick it was like smoke began to suffocate Akira. LeBlanc was completely silent apart from the raging storm outside, the roaring of his own heartbeat in his ears, and Akechi's breathing.

"...What are you going to do about it?"

Akechi's eyes ignited. "Come again?"

"I said," Akira grabbed him by the collar of _his_ shirt, pulling Akechi so close they were nose-to-nose, "what are you going to do about it, Mr. Detective?"

"Now you're just mocking me."

"Doesn't feel good, does it?"

His eyes flicked between his lips and his pupils. "...no, it doesn't. It's _infuriating_ seeing that smug look on your face. I have half a mind to do something about it."

Akira's breathing hitched. All at once, Akechi's charming detective facade had melted away and left Akira with... Whatever the hell this was. This Akechi was aggressive, brash, and sarcastic, nothing like the gentleman persona he played on T.V. Every word he said seemed to travel straight down to Akira's dick. _Please, do something about it. I'm practically begging you._ "Then why don't you?" 

"I would but I like playing smart, Akira. The only problem is... I don't know what cards you keep close to your chest. Try as you might, you're reckless in nature. So I don't know if you actually want this, or..." He dragged his thumb against the other's bottom lip. "You're trying to seduce me, in hopes I'd keep quiet about your little secret. If that were the case, I must say you are quite the temptress."

"You're wearing _my_ clothes but _I'm_ the temptress?"

Akechi chuckled. "What can I say, you have good taste."

 _I bet I'd taste good too._ "Do you ever stop talking, Goro?"

"Sometimes."

"Can now be one of those times?"

"Well, If you-"

"Shut up."

With one last yank of the collar of Akechi's shirt, Akira pulled him against his lips.

They crashed against each other, rough and hungry. Akechi's slender fingers found their way into Akira's wet hair, lightly tugging at the curly dark strands. Akira was shoved hard against the LeBlanc serving counter, hardwood digging into his ass. His skin felt like it was on fire; Everywhere Akechi touched seemed to spark up with electricity. _Holy shit... I'm kissing_ the _Goro Akechi. Pinch me._ Akira desperately clung to the sides of Akechi's face as their lips separated and Akechi began kissing down his neck. The feeling of a hot wet mouth licking, sucking, and biting Akira's jawline sent chills down his spine. He let out a high-pitched whimper. "Fuck, Goro..."

He could feel Akechi smirk against his neck. "You're so cute when you whine. It makes me wonder what other noises I can make you make."

Akira's breathing hitched.

"Oh...? That struck a nerve, didn't it?"

 _Fuck yeah, it did._ "You talk too much," He groaned.

Akechi's hands began to fumble with Akira's dirty shirt buttons. "I would argue you don't talk enough."

"Touché." He grinned smugly.

"Do you ever stop smirking?" Akechi sighed.

"Nope." Akira yanked Akechi's head by the hair, pulling him back into a heated kiss. The detective moaned against his lips and Akira had to fight the urge to take off his pants and shove his head downwards. He looped his hands around Akechi's waist and pulled his crotch against his own. Their clothed members rubbed together, sending electricity up Akira's spine.

The moment was interrupted by the shrill sound of Akechi's phone ringing.

"I have to take this..." He murmured against Akira's lips.

"Do you have to?" He groaned.

He pulled away. "Sadly, I do."

Akira sighed as leaned back against the counter, watching Akechi his call.

"Hello?" He paused, his brow furrowing. "Now's not exactly a good time... I'm-" He glanced back at Akira, "preoccupied at the moment. We can discuss this tomorrow, yes? I know this is important but Sir-" He winced. "...Right now? It's late, all the trains are shut down. But- Yes. Yes, I'd assume so. Don't worry, I can handle it. Alright then." He exasperated a sigh, chucking his phone onto the counter with too much force to be a joke.

"That didn't sound pleasant."

"Trust me, it wasn't." All the pleasantries seemed to have dropped from his voice.

"Work troubles?"

"You could say that." He grimaced. "I'm sorry but I must be off now."

Akira didn't attempt to hide his disappointment. "Right now? But it's still raining-"

"I know," he snapped, "I just... My _Boss_ wants me to come in. Something just came up." He spat out the word 'boss' like a mouthful of poison.

"Oh, I see..."

He unraveled himself from Akira, walking back over to the booth to pick up his briefcase. He threw on the wet jacket he left on the seat. "I'll be back another time for the rest of my clothes."

Akira watched Akechi go, feeling his heart sink lower and lower the closer he got to the door. He twisted the handle and the doorbell rang. "A-are we gonna talk about this?" He managed to stutter out.

Akechi stopped dead in his tracks. "I'd prefer we didn't. Goodnight Kusuru-Kun."

The tinkle of the doorbell taunted him as Akechi left, leaving him in the empty cafe with nothing but the sound of pouring rain outside. He buried his head in his hands, grasping at the wet strands tightly. Akira prayed that the nauseating feeling in his stomach would pass before he broke down completely.


	2. I'm laying down my cards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira gets angsty™ & horny™  
> Akechi gets jealous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did rate this story as explicit,,, keep that in mind as you traverse forward.
> 
> also, I finished royal. that shit hurted
> 
> also also, almost every chapter name is gonna be an EDEN lyric I apologize in advance

Over the next few weeks, Akira tried his best to get his mind off Goro Akechi and failed miserably.

Exams kept him distracted for a while but those left as quick as they came. Only a temporary distraction.

Everywhere Akira went, he seemed to see glimpses of the Detective Prince. Whether it be in the crowded Central Street or on the way to Shujin Academy, he seemed to see him all the time. Half the time, he was certain it was his mind playing tricks on them. How often can you run into (probably) the busiest high-schooler in all of Japan before the word 'coincidence' is no longer applicable?

The awkward stares across the train stations didn't do much to ease his mind, either. Among the sea of people, Akira could feel crimson-pupils peppering holes into his uniform from across the platform. Normally, Akechi would at least come over and spark up a casual conversation. Maybe even ask a few questions pertaining to the Phantom Thieves' popularity. The steely gaze made Akira's skin burn up. He tried his best to avoid eye contact yet every-so-often he'd glance up from his phone to see those sultry red irises staring right back. The feeling of eyes boring into the back of his skull lingered the rest of the day. A small sliver of Akira wondered why he continued to stare, day after day.

There was also the issue of the mysterious phone call. After Akechi had received it, his whole demeanor changed. His body went rigid, he completely shut down. The conversation itself didn't sound pleasant either; The detective spat venom like he was a snake at the person on the other end. It was suspicious but Akira couldn't afford to dwell on it. The stress of thinking Akechi was in danger was detrimental on his health. He wanted nothing more than to make sure that person never called the other boy back again.

Not like it mattered, anyway. As far as Akechi was concerned, Akira didn't exist.

He never came back for his wet clothes, either.

Apart from the stares, they never made contact, verbal or otherwise. Akira knew Akechi wouldn't swallow his pride and be the first one to call.

It took the dark-haired boy _weeks_ to work up the courage to even open Akechi's contact in his phone. His fingers seemed to shake on the keyboard, typing and deleting almost every letter. Eventually, he got too frustrated and tossed his phone down on his futon. _This is hopeless,_ he thought as he buried his head in his hands, _I've gone and fucked it up._

He counted himself lucky as he got busier over the Okumura incident. Having more Phantom Thieves business to keep up with helped to busy his mind. Spending evenings tracking polls and chasing after a missing Morgana swayed his thoughts from Goro _Fucking_ Akechi. He didn't think about the way his hands curled around the billiard cue in Penguin Sniper or the way he looked, drenched, and in his clothes that were much too wide around the collarbones. Nor did he think about the way he moaned in his mouth that horrible evening in LeBlanc, or reminisce about the look in his eyes that seemed almost hungry as he tilted his chin up. His red eyes, his soft hair... Akira didn't think about any of it. Ever.

Although Morgana's absence left something to be desired, Akira enjoyed having space to himself. He was able to do what he wanted, when he wanted, without a shrill voice shouting at him to go to sleep. The privacy was what he enjoyed most. Now, when he (definitely didn't) think about Goro Akechi, he didn't have to be as subtle about it.

He could let his hand slip below his waistband in peace.

He started slowly at first, gently stroking himself. He tried not to think of his encounter with the Detective Prince a month ago but the heat of that situation came rushing back to him with the friction of his right hand.

 _"It's fun watching your image unravel right before my very eyes,"_ Akechi's voice echoed in his brain. _"I must say, you look good flustered."_

"Fuck," Akira whined out, pumping himself faster. "Fuck, you bastard..." He chuckled breathlessly. 

He desperately clung to the fading feeling of Akechi's teeth digging into his lower lip. Time had dulled the sensation of him on Akira's skin and the dark-eyed boy hated that. He wanted nothing more than to feel the Detective Prince pressed up against him once more, drinking in his scent. 

He imagined what would've happened that night if the goddamn phone didn't ring; What Akechi would've _done_ to him. He thought about curling his fingers into his soft brunet hair as he wrapped his lips around the tip of Akira's dick. The detective seemed to enjoy talking but he wouldn't be able to do that with Akira's cock down his throat. He flicked his wrist over the tip of his member, wishing it was Akechi's tongue instead.

_"Who would've ever thought I'd have the notorious leader of the Phantom Thieves quivering like this?"_

Those words echoed in his brain. He knew. Of course, he fucking knew. He was the brightest person Akira knew. If Kawakami and Hifumi could figure it out, Goro could. The fear that he could turn Akira into the police at any moment only seemed to fuel his lust. He fantasized about Akechi coming over and telling him that he was going to give him up and Akira begging and pleading, saying "oh but I'll do anything." He could only imagine how good the smirk on his face would be.

Yet the image of him standing in LeBlanc in Akira's clothes came back to mind, bashful and blushing. _He's cute when he's submissive,_ he thought as he groaned, speeding up his strokes. It was the first time Akira had ever seen Akechi lose his cool. _I wonder what else I can do to make him flustered._

Akira let out another moan, arching his back. He could feel himself approaching the edge.

He thought about touching Akechi, trailing his hands and hickeys over his pale skin. He thought about how he'd react and what pretty little noises would come out of his mouth. Had he been touched before? Was he as experienced as he seemed? _God_ , he wanted to make him scream his name.

_"You're quite the temptress."_

Akira felt disgusting for enjoying that comment as much as he did. Even at that moment, he didn't know if he was throwing himself at Akechi as a way to sidetrack the situation or because he really wanted to indulge in him. But as he lay there, getting himself off to the thought of Akechi Goro, he finally knew the truth.

 _You're so pathetic,_ Akira scolded himself as he grunted in pleasure. _He's not even talking to me anymore and I'm here panting like a bitch over the thought of him._

But he decided not to care.

With one last buck of his hips and Akechi's name on his lips, he came all over his own hand.

The post-clarity dread washed over him. "What the fuck am I doing..." He groaned as he began cleaning up.

* * *

"I don't get it! This is so 'effed up!" Ryuji cursed, slamming his fist down on the desk in the student council room. "What did we do wrong?"

"Will you keep it down?!" Ann scolded. "We're supposed to be working right now!"

The blonde-haired boy groaned. "This is horrible! I can't believe people think we murdered Okumura!"

Makoto bit into her bottom lip, staying focused on the papers in her hand. "I can't exactly blame them. We made a public spectacle about going after Okumura Kunikazu, and he ends up dead in the following weeks at a press conference of our design. It doesn't paint us in a good light," she grimaced.

"It's bullshit! Someone's obviously framing us..."

"How can we be so sure?" Haru's bottom lip quivered.

Ryuji's face darkened. "We've done this so many times before though. We even had someone in their own cognitive world and that turned out fine!"

"Can we not focus on this right now?" Makoto pleaded. "We're supposed to be counting votes for the school festival." She glared at Ryuji.

"We don't need to count them. It's obvious who's gonna win." He scoffed, kicking his feet up on the table.

"Really, who?"

"Duh, Akechi."

A ping went off in Akira's chest at the mention of his name.

Morgana narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?"

Ryuji picked up a fistful of paper slips and began unfolding each one. "Goro Akechi. Wow, would ya look at that, it's Goro Akechi! Oh, and you'll never guess who this one is!"

"This one too." Ann pressed her lips together. "I guess Ryuji was right, for once..."

"Hey!"

Morgana cackled. "Nice one, Lady Ann."

"Guys, focus," Makoto scolded. "It seems like the decline in popularity for the Phantom Thieves has meant a skyrocket for Akechi."

Morgana jumped from his place in Akira's bag onto the table. "So the student body wants to have Akechi as their special guest... This could be an ample opportunity for us."

"How?" Ann questioned.

Makoto's eyes lit up. "We could use the interview as an excuse for getting information on the police investigation on us."

Ryuji choked on his saliva. "For real?! How are we gonna get that to work?"

"Think about it. As I'm the student council president, I'll be the one talking to him in front of the student body. I could manipulate the conversation, convince him to give us some information."

"It would be risky," Morgana pondered, scratching his ear. "But it would be helpful."

Haru's face was stained with shock. "You can't be serious..."

Akira fiddled with his fingers in his lap. "What other options do we have?" 

The crew fell silent.

He sighed. "Guess we're inviting Akechi."

"I don't know how we're going to contact him, though," Makoto shuffled the papers in her hand. "I guess I could ask Sis for his number..."

"I-I have his number."

Everyone turned to look at Akira.

Ryuji's mouth fell open. "Dude, what the 'eff?"

"What?!"

"How the hell do you have Akechi's number?"

Akira tried his best to hide his flushed face. "I got his number at the TV station so we started talking. We hang out sometimes..."

"You hang out with that snooty bastard? Consensually?!" Ryuji exclaimed.

Morgana grumbled, "All the time."

"Not _'all the time'_." Akira glared. "We just meet up every-so-often."

Haru fumbled with her hands awkward. "Umm, no offense, but where do you take someone like Akechi for fun?"

"Billiards, jazz clubs. We went to an aquarium once." The judgemental gazes of Akira slowly softened, except for Ann who raised a curious eyebrow. "Once we got really busy with the Okumura stuff, I just left him alone. Didn't want him catching on to us." _He definitely doesn't know already. Also, he kissed me and never even came back to pick up his clothes or give me back mine but we're not gonna talk about that-_

"So you have Goro Akechi's contact information?" Makoto asked.

He nodded.

"Send that to me once we're done here. Oh, and can someone fill in Futaba and Yusuke?"

Ryuji nodded.

"While this is a good idea, we'll have to tread lightly," Morgana said, jumping his way back onto Akira's shoulder. "Akechi's smart. One wrong move and he might see through your act, Makoto."

She smiled. "Don't worry, I've got this."

"So, we're done for today?" Ann asked. "I've got a shoot to head to."

"I'd say so." Haru stood up and grabbed her bag off the floor.

"Alright then. Meeting adjourned."

* * *

The train ride back to Yongen-Jaya was as busy as always. Akira was jammed shoulder to shoulder the whole time, feeling cramped and claustrophobic. The TV blared the latest news.

_"Akechi Goro, the second coming of the Detective Prince, has recently made a statement on the latest Phantom Thieves incident. The Thieves recently made a threat to change the heart of Okumura Kunikazu, head of Okumura Foods. They claimed that he was abusing his workers and running a sweatshop. During a live broadcast where he was confessing to his crimes, he dropped dead. Many believe it was the Phantom Thieves but Akechi thinks that this incident may not be the thieves at all, and could be another organization trying to-"_

Akira tried to block it out.

"Are you alright, Akira?" Morgana asked, jumping up onto his shoulder after they had exited the station. "You seem off lately."

"I'm fine, of course, I'm fine why wouldn't I be fine?" He chuckled nervously, fiddling with the collar of his shirt.

Morgana narrowed his eyes. "That was less convincing than Ann's acting."

"I told you, I'm fine."

"Yes, I know. You said it multiple times and I still don't believe you!"

Akira sighed. "It's nothing, Mona."

"You're lying to me!" He exclaimed. 

"Why do you care? It's not like it matters."

Morgana huffed. "It _does_ matter. If our leader is off his game, it's going to affect the rest of the team. Your judgment is crucial in our success. You've been like this for weeks now..."

He pushed his glasses back up his nose. "It's not a big deal, I'm just stressed over the Okumura incident." 

"Nuh-uh, you're not fooling me. You were like this before we took down Okumura. Actually, the last time you were normal was before Akechi-"

Akira scoffed, pulling open LeBlanc's door. "Akechi this, Akechi that, why doesn't anyone ever shut up about Goro-"

The scent of coffee and curry wafted over him as always. The cafe was mainly empty, except for the same pompous man who came every Monday evening and...

"...Akechi."

His heart did a somersault. 

The brown-haired male turned to Akira and smiled. "Welcome home, Kurusu-Kun."

Akira laughed, "Honey, I'm home."

"You're back awfully late." Akechi teased like a doting housewife. He turned to Sojiro. "How has business been for you lately?"

The old man cocked an eyebrow at him. "Take a look around." 

"Why is he here?" Morgana complained. "He hasn't been here in over a month!"

"God, that cat never shuts up," Sojiro chuckled then turned his attention back to the detective. "...Is the Niijima lady doing well?"

Akechi shook his head. "Unfortunately, we haven't seen each other lately. We had a... difference of opinion." He grimaced.

 _"What are your thoughts, representative Shido?"_ The T.V blared.

Sojiro shook out his hands, watching the screen with steely intent. Everyone else in LeBlanc seemed to follow suit.

_"It doesn't surprise me that people say this country is lethargic. We've let these Phantom Thieves run amock."_

_That man's voice..._ Akira thought, grabbing at the sides of his head. _Why is it so familiar?_

_"And because they have only targeted prominent figures, our government leaders have been hesitant to act. I apologize for any concern they may have caused and will henceforth search for an apt countermeasure."_

The stray customer in the booth clapped. "That politician's really honorable. I like how quickly he says he's gonna do everything."

_"This is an important undertaking and one I intend to confront it with every asset that's available to me. The selfish criminals enacting this 'social reform' are in fact the ones most deserving of reformation. Answering the interest of the people as hastily as possible is my natural duty as a politician."_

"Man, this guy is admirable!"

Akira rolled his eyes.

_"Rampant political scandals, thieves on the loose... As sad as it is, this is the state of our nation. We must resolve this problem, and I assure the people of this noble country that I will do just that."_

He clutched the side of his head, his mind traveling back to the buffet. "I feel like I've met this guy before..." He murmured.

Sojiro glared. "What're you standing there and staring off into space for? You're creeping me out."

"You're standing, too." Akira retorted.

"That's not what I meant," he groaned.

Akechi stared down at his cup of coffee, his face vacant of any emotion. "Criminals, huh? So that's how he must see it. However, that is ignorant of their true nature."

"You on the Thieves' side?" Akira smiled smugly.

He looked up at him. "It may be somewhat of a stretch to say I'm on their side. Having said that, I won't deny that I empathize with them on some level. If this Okumura incident wasn't the Phantom Thieves... If they only change the hearts of criminals... Even then though, they can't be considered innocent." He circled the edge of the coffee cup with his fingers.

"I never took you as a guy to recycle material."

"Come again?"

Akira scratched the back of his neck, letting his eyes fixate on Akechi's hands. "I saw your most recent interview. You're reciting it, almost word for word."

He smiled. "Nothing gets past you, does it Akira? It's impressive. Regardless," He looked back down. "The Phantom Thieves don't seem inherently evil. Perhaps my goals are not much different from theirs..."

"But they _are_ innocent."

Akechi burst into laughter. "I knew there was something special about you, ever since the first time we met."

His stomach did a flip.

"I feel as though I could tell you anything during our conversations."

_Of course, you can. You can tell me secrets and I'll take them to my grave. You and your gorgeous hands..._

"Ah, that reminds me," Akechi pulled out his phone. "I've been invited to a panel at Shujin Academy, and... Oh wait, I'm sure you already know that." He giggled. "Considering that it's such a good opportunity, I've decided to accept the offer."

Sparks of excitement shot through Akira's skin.

Akechi stood up. "Thanks for the coffee, it was delicious."

"Glad you liked it," Sojiro smiled.

"I'm happy I could see you," He smiled at Akira, who's heart definitely didn't skip a beat. "I'll be going now."

Akira frowned. "D-do you have to?"

"I'm afraid I do."

He grabbed the other boy by the wrist. "I need to talk to you, though."

"What are you doing?!" Morgana whispered. "I don't want a part in this!"

Akechi stared him dead in the eye, expression emotionless. "There's nothing to discuss."

 _Don't do this to me._ "Just five minutes of your time, please?"

"I am running on a tight schedule," He looked up to see the frown on Akira's face. "I suppose I can make room for five minutes."

Akira, with his grip still on Akechi's wrist, began to walk up to the attic. 

"That's it!" Morgana protested. "I'm leaving."

With one leap, the cat disappeared out the window of the attic.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Akira shot him a glare. "Drop the act, Goro."

The gentlemanly facade melted away and Akechi's features faded into annoyance. "This is about the other night... Isn't it?"

"What else would it be?" Akira scoffed.

"Now, now, Akira... No need to get hostile with me." 

"Hostile?! You've been ignoring me for weeks!"

"The phone goes both ways," He pointed out.

Akira felt his face flush. "Yeah, well, I would've texted if I felt like I could have."

Akechi giggled. "Really? The great leader of the Phantom Thieves _wants_ permission to text me? How quaint."

"Shut up." He snapped.

The playful expression melted off Akechi's face. It faded into a malice one. "Careful, you don't want to scare off what few customers Sakura-san has. Keep your voice down."

His grey eyes looked up to meet the other boy's red ones. "What is your game, Akechi?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean!" He hissed through clenched teeth. "You interrogate me, you _steal_ my clothes, you make out with me _after_ I invite you in, you leave in a rush and you just expect me to act like nothing's happened?!" 

Akechi smirked. "Truth be told, I didn't know if you wanted to talk about it. But seeing how worked up you're getting, it seems I should've at least called."

"Fuck yeah, you should have! I've been stressing over this for weeks!"

"Aww, that's sweet," Akechi took a singular gloved-finger and tipped Akira's chin up. "Did you miss me?"

Akira almost whimpered from the gesture. He stayed there for a second, before coming to his senses and smacking Akechi's hand away. "No, you're not seducing me this time, _ace detective_." He spat it with so much venom it sounded like a slur.

"Impressive. I guess it was naive of me to think that trick would work twice."

He glared. "What... are we, Goro?"

"I... don't know?"

"Huh?" 

Akira wasn't used to having Akechi admit when he was wrong, much less that he didn't know something. For Akechi, admitting he didn't know something was accepting defeat. If there was one thing Akira knew for sure about the ace detective, it was the fact he was childish and hated losing. The only reason he knew this was because he was also childish and hated losing.

"I said I don't know! What do you want, a parade?! Some balloons maybe?!"

Akira had to stifle a bitter laugh. "So you don't know, either?"

"If I did, do you think I would've hung around today?" He spat. "I was... waiting for you..." His voice trailed off. 

_He... waited for me._ "Why?"

"I swear, for the smartest kid in your year, you're thick at times." Akechi laughed. "Why do you think I would wait for you, Akira?"

"To... talk to me?"

Akechi gave him a sarcastic clap. "I take back every comment I ever made about you being a good detective."

"Wait, wait, wait! So you came to talk to me..."

He nodded.

Akira pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "Because you wanted to or because you felt obligated?"

"Is 'a little bit of both' a sufficient answer?"

"If you explain then it is."

Akechi sighed, checking his watch. "Kurusu-Kun, I really don't have the time for this. I have a-"

"Then make time." Akira snarled in his Joker voice.

"O-oh..."

He twirled a strand of his own hair in his fingers. "Look, if you want you can just take your clothes and leave and act like nothing ever happened. We never have to mention this again, either. I just wanna clear this up because..."

"Because?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"Because I enjoy hanging out with you."

Akechi smirked. "Are superficial reasons like this why you have half of Tokyo wrapped around your finger?"

"W-what?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Akira. Every time I see you, you're with are a different girl. Do you think I'm stupid?"

Akira laughed bitterly. "You are many things, Goro, but stupid is not one of them."

"And yet you think you can play me for a fool?"

"I'm not playing you at all!"

"Bullshit!" He hissed, grabbing Akira by the collar. "How many other people have you done that with, hmm? How many times have you used your sex appeal to get out of tricky situations?"

Akira was acutely aware of how little space was between them now. "I don't do that..."

"Are you sure you don't whore yourself out for the first person who shows any interest?"

He laughed. "Are you... jealous, Akechi?"

The brunet's face began tinged with pink. "A-absolutely not." His hands dropped from Akira's collar.

 _Holy shit, I was just trying to be funny._ "You... You're jealous of all the _girls_ I hang around?"

"Of course not! ...I was merely asking if I'm just another person in Tokyo you..."

"Mess around with?" Akira giggled.

"This is _not_ funny!"

"Just a little bit."

Akechi's face went bright red. "You're... insufferable!"

Akira smirked. "Sure, whatever you say." He turned his back on the bashful detective and walked towards his shelf.

"Where are you going? I'm trying to have a conversation with you!"

"Don't you want your clothes back?"

He raised his hand to answer but the words fell flat on his tongue.

"That's what I thought," Akira said smugly as he handed Goro a pile of neatly folded clothes. "Here you go, I dry-cleaned them and everything."

"Ahem, well... Thank you, Kurusu-Kun but I really must be-"

"Nuh, uh. We're sorting this out."

Akechi rolled his eyes. "I'll come back, okay?"

"How soon?"

"Well, I would ask when you want me back but it's obvious what your answer is gonna be. I have a meeting tomorrow evening, quite an important one at that, but I can come back after your school festival the day after. Would that satiate your desires?"

Akira folded his arms in front of his chest. "Very much so."

"So it's decided." Akechi grabbed his briefcase off the floor of the other boy's room and began descending the stairs. 

"Um, Akechi?"

"Yes, Akira?"

"Will I ever get my clothes back?"

The other boy smiled so brightly, Akira feared he'd go blind. "I can't say. Unfortunately, I've grown rather accustomed to them. Goodnight, Kurusu-San."

Akira was left standing there, breathless and rosy-cheeked. "God, that boy is gonna be the death of me..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates are probably gonna be irregular,, im going into exams so ill be very busy :D


	3. falling is easy, it only brings you down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ann makes a deduction  
> .  
> Akechi gives his speech at the Shujin school festival and Akira gets unusually horny about it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is VERY main persona 5 plot-heavy,,, i apologize in advance
> 
> ALSO! in this chapter is basically my attempt to rewrite the fact Haru got overshadowed during her own arc. i put a lil nod in there because I feel Morgana taking her spotlight at the end of Okumura's palace was horrible. so enjoy that lil tid-bit

The Mona bag felt ten times heavier on Akira's shoulder on the first day of the school festival.

That swirling storm of dread in his stomach hadn't come to pass. It was churning up his insides, leaving him feeling nauseous. The hallways were packed with people; It was impossible to avoid bumping shoulders with a stranger every few minutes. With so many people crammed so closely together, it was hard to avoid overhearing their gossiping. Most of it was slanders against the Phantom Thieves, some airing concerns about how monstrous their true intentions. It ranged from "Maybe it was an honest mistake?" to "It's time to enforce capital punishment!"

Akira tried to ignore it.

"The school festival seems to be a success," Yusuke stated, taking in the sight of the hallways.

Ann nudged Ryuji. "There's definitely a lot more people than last year."

He scoffed. "Well, yeah. This place got 'famous' and all. The Phantom Thieves, Kamoshida, Principal Kobayakawa. On top of that, we got Akechi as a guest."

Makoto's face lit up in realization. "There might be police officers here in plain clothes, too... Actually, they probably are here. We better be careful about what we discuss."

"Acting like normal students is going to be important," Morgana lectured, jumping up onto Akira's shoulder.

Futaba tapped her chin. "What do you normally do a school festival?"

Haru and Ann glanced at each other. "Uhh... Look around at exhibits... and eat some stuff?" The blonde tried.

Ryuji smiled. "There are no rules. Remember when we went to the beach before? Why not go about it like that?"

"Just enjoy yourself," Akira said though he wasn't sure if it was for Futaba's sake or his own.

"I think I can do it if I've got everyone with me!"

Makoto grimaced. "You're so laid back... There's a possibility that your name and Ryuji's have come up."

Ryuji furrowed his brows.

"A number of the teachers had been questioned before, and even we were interviewed the other day too." Ann recounted.

"Don't let your guard down," Makoto said with a steely tone.

Morgana mewled. "It's true our initial members have been doing this for a long time, making it easier to get tracked..."

"All right..." Ryuji huffed.

Haru giggled. "Now, now. Let's leave it at that. We just need to be mindful of what we're saying, correct?"

"Oh, um..." Makoto turned red.

Yusuke brushed a loose strand of hair out of his face. "You seem to be having quite a lot of fun, Haru. You did mention that you were looking forward to this."

"I want to go around with everyone and eat at the refreshment stands," she smiled.

Futaba cheered. "Well, it'll be a nice change of pace! A lot of nasty stuff's continued lately!"

Akira looked down, feeling guilt wash over him. Ever since the Thieves had decided to target Okumura, their lives had been on a steady decline. As their leader, he felt like he'd failed them, Haru especially. Sure, Okumura Kunikazu tried to pawn off into a political marriage, but it was still her father. Akira's heart ached to picture toddler-Haru, sitting on her father's lap and reaching to touch her father's face. He wouldn't have blamed the girl if she decided to hate the Phantom Thieves forever over her dad's death. They convinced her it would be fine. Every other time the criminal had confessed to their crimes... So why was it different now? What had he done wrong? He tried to convince himself that this was the work of that other elusive Metaverse user. But deep down he couldn't shake the guilt or dread that clung to him like glue. _Poor girl..._

"Shall we head off to the stands, then?" asked Makoto, shaking the boy from his thoughts.

"Let's do it." Akira smiled.

She snapped her fingers. "Oh, right! This is your first time at our school festival, isn't it?"

"They're pretty good, from what I've heard..." Ryuji's voice trailed off.

"I know a great one!" Ann exclaimed. "Follow me."

The Thieves followed her through the cramped corridors of Shujin Academy. The bustling abundance of people seemed to suffocate the normally barren hallways with their presence. So many eyes were directed all over the place.

"Did you hear about the Phantom Thieves?"

"Yeah, they're murders!"

"Saying you're for justice and then killing someone is a dirty tactic."

"They deserve the death penalty!"

It did nothing to ease the nauseating feeling in Akira's stomach.

"This is the place!" Ann announced.

"'Maid Takoyaki'...?" Haru questioned.

Ann grinned from ear-to-ear. "New customers! I'll show you to your seats."

"...So it's your class's stand." Ryuji groaned.

"It's still a refreshment stand, isn't it?!"

Futaba looked around. "It's like a deserted island around here."

"Well, I guess it's good for talking since there's nobody around." Makoto sighed as everyone took a seat.

***

"So, what makes this a 'Russian' takoyaki?" Ryuji asked, leaning forward to take scout of the dish that had been placed in front of them.

Haru's face lit up. "Could jam be the secret ingredient? That sounds quite delicious."

"Well, one of these is special," the maid giggled.

"Uh, one of them is obviously red." Morgana pointed out. "That's gotta be the one."

Ryuji's eyes widened. "Dude, don't tell me the 'Russian' part means..."

"It's like, going for the obvious one is manly?" Ann smirked. 

"I-is that so?!" Mona stuttered.

Yusuke leaned forward, a sour expression on his face. "I'd prefer the most beautifully shaped one... but it appears they're all misshapen."

"Aren't you all going to eat?" Haru asked. "I think I'll go for the special one."

Makoto surveyed the table. "Wait... is she honestly going for it?"

Ryuji turned to Akira, a shit-eating grin on his face. "Do YOU wanna go for the red one, Akira?"

"I'll take it," He smirked, clicking his knuckles smugly. _Time to show them why I'M the Leader..._

"Ooh! Impressive as always!" Ann remarked.

"Oh! Perfect! Everyone's all here."

Akira turned to lay his eyes on Goro Akechi, looking stoic and confident as always. His stomach rolled with excitement and fear as if he was the peak of a rollercoaster drop. He felt himself beginning to sweat. _What's he doing here?! His speech isn't until tomorrow._

Makoto asked what Akira was thinking.

Akechi smirked. "I came to check out the venue. I can't make any mistakes since a lot of people will be present."

"Perfectionist," Akira mumbled bitterly.

"Someone's eager," Futaba glared.

"But people ended up recognizing me." He grimaced. "Everyone bombarded me with questions."

"That's 'cause you were sloppy..." Ryuji said, his voice laced with venom.

Akechi smiled, seeming to ignore the tone in the previous statement. "I grew tired of the baseless rumors they kept bringing up, so I escaped to where there weren't any people." He approached the Takoyaki and grabbed the red one on a skewer. "...I'm going to have one of these."

Haru gasped. "The special one!"

"Let's just call this my performance fee," He smiled smugly.

"But-"

Ryuji cut Ann off. "It's fine."

Akechi chewed and swallowed it in one bite. "Mmm, it's quite a deli-" Akira smirked as he watched Goro's face contort in horror. "....HNNNGH?!" The brunet's eyes began watering.

"It's not a good idea to eat it in one bite..." Ann tried.

"Ngh...! My throat...! This is...! Urgh! Oh... My stomach! It burns..."

Akira began giggling. Bubbly laughter traveled from his stomach and out his throat, racking his body in hiccups. Hot tears burned in his eyes and his stomach grew sore from watching the sight unfold before him. Morgana shot him a glare for his antics.

Akechi glared at him through his broken state. "It's... Not funny... A-Akira!"

"Are you okay?! Do you need some water?" Ann asked.

"I-I'm fine... I just, urgh... Love... uh... spicy-spicy stuff... Ha..." His whole body shaking violently. Akira could see his fists were clenched so tightly under his gloves. He wondered if his knuckles had gone white. His laughter grew more intense with every passing second of Akechi's suffering.

"Hey, does he sound broken to you?" Futaba asked.

"Good job guys, we broke an ace detective!" Ryuji cheered sarcastically.

Akira wiped a stray tear from his eye. "Akechi... Y-you're so..." _Cute. Stupid. Insufferable. Obvious._ He cut himself off with another round of chuckling.

"W-well then... I'll... I'll see you... uh... t-t-tomorrow..." Akechi left, more composed than Akira would've thought.

Ann stared in awe. "Wow, he's really trying to hold it together. He's waddling around like some comedian."

"It's like he wants to get picked up for some commercial or something," Ryuji grumbled.

Akira's laughter finally died down. "That was... That was too good."

"I must say it was quite the show," Yusuke's face was one of someone trying to suppress their amusement.

"Still," Makoto said. "Something about that encounter seemed off."

Yusuke cleared his throat "Did Akechi really come to check out the venue?" He looked down at his knee in disappointment. "...This isn't good. We keep suspecting every little thing..."

Makoto nodded. "...I know what you mean. I... I need to do my best tomorrow. We need to someone get him to be our source of intel..."

"It's easier said than done..." Akira pursed his lips.

"I'm gonna pull this off no matter what!" She promised.

Futaba pushed back her glasses. "That Akechi guy..." she muttered. "When he got here, didn't he say everyone's all here? _Everyone_..."

They all turned to stare at her. 

"You're... You're just imagining things..." Ryuji tried.

Akira felt his heart twist. _They're figuring you out, Akechi. I just hope you know what you're doing, for both our sakes._

* * *

The Phantom Thieves with the absence of Makoto, Haru, and Futaba gathered around the ledge in the school assembly hall, eager for the coming speech. It was due to start any minute and the sweat clamming up Akira's palms was everything short of comforting. It felt like his stomach was tied into knots and continued to twist as it grew closer. He didn't enjoy the nervous feeling at all.

"Hey, Akira,"

He turned to see a nervous Ann fidgeting behind him. "...Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you real quick?"

He nodded. She grabbed him by the arm and lead him behind the door, blocking them from the others.

"What's this about?" Akira asked.

"Umm, Morgana?"

He jumped out of the bag. "Yes, Lady Ann?"

She looked down in an almost ashamed fashion. "Can you leave us alone for now? This is... Kinda personal..."

"Oh... O-okay..."

The cat lept out of the bag and trotted along the floor back into the school hall, leaving Ann and Akira alone.

He turned back to her, leaning against the wall. "What's this about?"

"Are you... okay?" She asked tactlessly. "You're so pale you look like you've seen a ghost. You're sweating a lot, too."

"I'm fine."

Ann laughed. "You're definitely not fine and I think I know why." She smirked triumphantly. 

Akira raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You're lovesick!"

He nearly choked on his own saliva. "W-what?!"

"Aha! You didn't deny it." Ann's face lit up in glee. "I knew it!"

"Y-you have nothing to prove that!"

She smiled. "Your face is bright red! That's proof enough!"

Akira tried to hide his face in his hands as a means to stop the burning feeling in his cheeks. "Look, Ann, it's nothing, I just-"

"You like Makoto!"

The swelling balloon in Akira's chest popped. He couldn't tell if it was relief or disappointment. "Makoto..."

"And that's why you're so worried right now!" Ann snapped her fingers, jumping up and down in excitement. "You're scared of her going against Akechi by herself in front of so many people! Ah, how chivalrous! It's _so_ sweet."

"Haha, yeah... So sweet..."

She grabbed Akira by the shoulders. "It's adorable! If you want, we could set up a time to hang out with Makoto and Ryuji so you guys could hang out together! I just want to help you with this in any way I can, since you help the rest of us so much! I'm a girl, so I'm like an expert on all things girly, including relationships!"

 _The biggest thing you can do right now to help me would be shutting up,_ he thought bitterly.

Ryuji opened the door. "Hate to interrupt whatever you guys are doin', but the speech is starting."

Akira and Ann went back into the hall.

"Well then, we will now begin today's panel," Makoto announced over the sound system. "Our guest of honor is Akechi Goro."

The detective chuckled nervously. "I feel kind of bad, considering how many people have gathered... I'm sure you all would've been happier to have a singer or a mascot, wouldn't you say?"

A group of girls erupted in giddy laughter.

Akira leaned against the banister, his hand resting on his cheek. _What a lame attempt at an ice breaker,_ he thought. _We should've got a singer, at least then my heart wouldn't be in my throat._

"We'd appreciate it if you tell us about your experience with the notorious Phantom Thieves," Makoto said, her expression steely calm. "It'd be wonderful if you could let us hear more about your actual investigative process."

"That's our Queen..." Ryuji murmured.

"I'm not used to being the one interrogated... You'll have to go easy on me."

Rambunctious laughter echoed through the crowd.

Ann pursed her lips. "How much do you think he knows?"

"Too much," Akira grumbled under his breath.

"He talks of how the Phantom Thieves are dangerous, yet he says they haven't committed any murders..." Yusuke pondered. "Either he has an idea on who the true culprit is, or he has uncovered the identities of the Phantom Thieves."

Ryuji grumbled. "C'mon, Makoto... You gotta get it outta him!"

"As much as you're allowed to say, would you tell us how far along your investigation is on them?" Makoto asked.

Akechi chuckled. "Getting right to the point, I see. Well, if it's as much as I'm allowed to say, then everything on T.V and the internet is all of it. We don't have any leads yet, and the methods behind their crimes are still unclear."

" _Crimes_ ," Morgana scoffed. "What an ignorant bastard."

Akira bit his thumbnail, trying to ignore his heart pounding in his ears.

"I see," Makoto pursed her lips. "Even with this country's power, arresting them is proving to be difficult... Is that correct?"

"I wouldn't phrase it that way... but well, something like that."

 _Proving the Metaverse's existence to your hardboiled superiors a little too hard for you, Goro?_ Akira smirked, circling his tongue around the end of his thumb subtly. _I wonder what else you find 'hard'..._

She nodded. "Thank you for answering that question. By the way, it seems you've denied a correlation between the Phantom Thieves and the murders... Why the sudden change? Until now, haven't you held the stance that the Phantom Thieves are dangerous? How are you so positive that they haven't committed any murders?"

"Aren't you a little too comfortable interrogating people?" Akechi joked, a perky smile on his face. His eyes were stained with his sinister sleuthing. "Why, it's as if you're a prosecutor."

"He's catching on..." Ryuji growled. "The bastard! I wanna go down there."

Ann placed a tender hand on his shoulder. "There's not much we can do. We just have to have faith in Makoto..."

"He's pulling her up in front of everyone! He's tryna put the pressure on thinkin' she'll back down."

Yusuke stared at him in awe. "Wow, Ryuji."

His eyebrows scrunched. "What?"

"That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Morgana mewled.

"Oh shuddup!"

Makoto swept a loose strand of hair behind her ears, regaining her composure. "Ah, excuse me, this is something I'm personally interested in, so I couldn't help myself. But won't you tell us? What reason is there that you'd claim their innocence when you previously stated they were unjust?"

Akechi bit into his bottom lip. Akira felt his face heat up, his brain going back to the night where Akechi was biting down on _his_ lip instead. _You look so composed in front of all these people. I would love to make you unravel... Can you imagine how much public opinion would sway if they saw you shake and moan underneath me? What would they say seeing their precious ace detective melt because of the touch of a Phantom Thief?_ "Every person whose heart they changed truly have been criminals, including Okumura... Why, then, was he the only one who needed to be killed?"

"Why is that?" Makoto asked.

"I must admit... I couldn't deduce a reason. That's why I believe the case of Okumura's death should be thought of as a separate organization. The Phantom Thieves have been shown to have a strong moral code thus far."

"Are you alright, Akira?" Ann asked. "You seem off."

"I'm fine, just... Worrying about Makoto."

She grinned from ear-to-ear. "Aww, of course, you are!"

"Hey, shut it!" Ryuji grumbled. "I'm tryna listen!"

"And if mind you, this is all hypothetical," Akechi looked up towards the banister and made eye contact with Akira. The raven felt a shock traveling through his body that went straight to his dick. "If the Phantom Thieves are the ones I know of, I can't possibly imagine that they would kill anyone." 

"Holy shit," Akira sucked in a sharp breath through his mouth.

He was painfully hard. He could feel the length of his member straining against the fabric of his pants, begging for release. All the detective had done was stare at him across a hall and it prompted Akira's thoughts to run wild. He had never wanted so badly to be locked in the LeBlanc bathroom by himself. "God fucking dammit," He murmured.

Makoto seemed taken aback. "Your comment just now... Does this mean the police have already identified who they are?"

"Oh no, the police haven't gotten that far yet. But... I have my own conclusions on the true identities of the Phantom Thieves." Akechi broke eye contact with Akira and the other boy couldn't help but whine at the lack of intensity. _If you wanted to play dirty Goro, all you had to do was ask._

The crowd erupted in murmurs.

"He's gotta be bluffin'!" Ryuji said.

"Pipe down!" Ann growled.

Akechi smirked at Makoto. Even from all the way on the banister, he looked leagues taller than her. She seemed small enough he could squish her underfoot if he tried. Maybe it was the way he was holding himself; Shoulders back and chin up. A cocky aura radiated from his smile like he had a good hand against an arrogant gambler. _Regardless, he holds all the cards,_ Akira thought, dragging his thumb from his mouth. "You're not going to ask me who I think they are?"

She glared at him, her red eyes meeting his own. "...It may have repercussions on the investigation. Are you sure you can share that with us?"

"Makoto is certainly keeping him on his toes," Yusuke observed. "I must admit I was worried but... She seems to be holding her own."

"It's only my personal opinion, so announcing that here wouldn't be an issue, however..." He stared down at his hand for a second. "There is a possibility that everyone present will hear the truth before the police or media."

Ann looked down. "The... truth?"

"Is he gonna expose us?" Akira growled.

Morgana scratched at his ear. "Would he really do that? In front of all these people?"

"...That's quite the confidence you have," Makoto spat. "If you're so certain then go ahead. I'd like to ask you once again, who do you think are the Phantom Thieves, Akechi-san?"

Ryuji snarled, "that idiot!" 

"No..." Yusuke buried his face in his hands. "There's no way he could have any evidence."

Akechi smirked, adjusting his gloves. He looked back up at Akira, who felt faint on his feet in response. "They're people you all know quite well. The identities of the Phantom Thieves are-"

The ringtone that was once the worst that happened in Akira's life turned into the best as Akechi's phone rang.

"Oh, it's mine. I apologize for the interruption, but I can't turn off my phone due to my job. Would you mind if I step away for about... ten minutes or so?"

Makoto turned back to address the crowd. "I'm terribly sorry, everyone, but we'll be taking a break. We'll resume the panel in ten minutes."

Akechi smiled. "Please don't troll me online for this, okay?"

The audience erupted in groans and protests, to which neither Makoto nor Akechi seemed bothered by. They dropped away from the microphones and seemed to share a few hushed words. Akira watched Makoto's eyes widened before pulling out her phone.

All of the Thieves' cellphones buzzed in sync. He pulled out of his phone to see two texts from Makoto.

 **Makoto:** Come to the P.E Faculty office ASAP

 **Makoto:** Akechi wants to speak with us

The aura of intensity stunk out of P.E office more than Kamoshida's cheap cologne ever did. Tension hung over Akira like a dark cloud, so thick it felt like you cut it with the knife. He took a look around; Everyone was rigid and tense except for Akechi, who wore his prized smile glued to his face. He dug his fingernails into his palms, trying to ignore the hurricane in his gut. He knew exactly what was coming...

"What did you want to talk about?" Makoto asked, her steely gaze boring holes into the ace detective.

Akechi reached inside his coat and pulled out a set of photos. "I think it's about time we had a chat..."

* * *

"I'm glad we could talk," Akechi smiled although the room didn't demand one. "It's been a while since I've been able to spend such a meaningful time like this. I look forward to your answer. It was definitely worth coming today," He smirked, subtly looking Akira up and down. "For _various_ reasons."

Akira tried to stop the color from flooding into his face.

The detective checked his phone. "We should be getting back. About that... I'm sorry but would it be acceptable if we ended the panel here? The reason why you called me here was that you wanted intel, correct? My business here is concluded as well."

"I'll deal with it somehow..." Makoto murmured. 

"Before we all part ways, I'd like a word with your leader." His red eyes peppered holes into Akira's body.

Morgana hissed. "Uh uh, no way!"

Ryuji crossed his arms over his chest. "You talk to all of us, or you're not talking at all!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

"Then I'm afraid you can't talk to him." Yusuke glared.

Akira shook his head. "It's okay, I'll talk to him."

"A-are you sure?" Ann asked. "I don't trust..."

Akechi laughed. "It'll only be for a few minutes. I have to get back on stage anyway for a polite goodbye."

He pushed his glasses back up on his nose. "I can handle him."

One by one the Phantom Thieves filed out the door, leaving Akira alone with Akechi. The brunet leaned back against the desk, sitting on the table. 

"You probably think you're so smart, don't you?"

Akechi smirked. "I'd say so."

Akira could almost feel his blood boiling. "Do you realize how badly you've fucked up?!"

"...Come again?"

"Sooner or later, the others are gonna find out that I knew. That stunt you pulled... Do you realize what could've happened if your phone didn't go off?"

Akechi giggled. "You underestimate my abilities, Kurusu-san. I'm not stupid enough to gamble on something like that. I thought you'd have more faith in me."

"When you're betting on my friends' safety, of course, I'm gonna get frustrated."

"You seem to really care about them,"

Akira scoffed. "Of course, I do. They're my teammates."

His red eyes twinkled with malice intent. "Are you sure they care about you the same way you care about them?"

"Certainty doesn't play into it. When you put your life on the line the way we do, you have to trust the people around you. Doubting them would only lead to dire consequences."

Akechi smirked. "You have too much blind faith in those idiots."

Akira walked forward, leaning against the table and trapping the sitting boy between his arms. "As it turns out, I have too much blind faith in you."

"Oh, really now?"

"Mhmm. Your eyes kept wandering during your 'performance'. It was very distracting."

The boy's eyes flickered down onto Akira's lips before staring back up at his face. "Sorry about that. There was a pretty face in the crowd and I couldn't but stare."

Akira narrowed his eyes. "I think it was a little more than that."

"I see, and what led you to this stellar deduction?"

"That smug look on your face. You were careless." _God, I sound like Morgana,_ he chided himself.

"You're awfully close, Kurusu."

"I'm aware," He growled, leaning in even further.

Akechi shivered. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were enjoying watching me squirm on stage. Your teammates don't know how to yield to troubles, do they?"

"On the contrary, I _hated_ seeing you up there," Akira's breath tickled the other boy's ear. "You hid it so well. Seeing you put on that act for all those people... It infuriated me. Do all your doting fangirls know what you are really like?"

He recoiled. "Do any of your _mistresses_ know you hang out with twelve other girls?"

Akira groaned. "This again?"

Akechi nodded. "It's a fair question."

"You sure are possessive over things you don't even own..."

"I was merely wondering if they know, that's all."

He rolled his gray eyes. "If thinking that I sleep around is what helps you get off at night then think whatever you must."

He choked on his saliva. "I do _not_ think about you-"

"Do you wanna know what I think, Goro?" He asked cockily.

Akechi didn't answer. He looked away through long eyelashes. His cheeks were dusty pink and Akira couldn't help but note how adorable he looked when he was bashful.

"I think you want me more than you let on."

The other boy looked up at Akira, his molten caramel eyes staring. They seemed to twinkle with a dark undertone, like a lion staring down it's prey. With quick fingers, Goro grabbed Akira by the shirt collar and yanked him towards his face, crashing their lips together. It was rough and hungry. Akira sucked at the other boy's lips as roughly as he could, sinking his teeth into his bottom lip. Akechi moaned in response, gripping into strands of Akira's hair. The dark-haired boy grabbed Goro by the hips, pulling their crouches together. Electricity jolted through Akira's skin as he felt Akechi's cock skim his own. The other boy moaned in response, a sound that traveled straight down to his dick. 

"I've been wanting to do this to you all day," Akira growled. "I've been dying to wipe that smug look off your face. Imagine if your adoring fangirls saw you like this..." He chuckled, planting a kiss just underneath Goro's ear. 

He shivered, yanking on the dark strands of the other boy's hair as he continued to trail kisses down his jaw. "It would be quite detrimental to my image, you're correct," He giggled. Akira nipped at the pale skin on Goro's adam's apple, causing the other boy to groan. "A-and you call me possessive."

"I don't like seeing you like that," He pulled the collar of his shirt and overcoat away from his neck so he could get at his collarbones. "I hate the act you put on. If your fans had half a brain cell, they might be able to tell how fake 'Prince Charming' really is." 

Goro giggled like a drunken schoolgirl, wrapping his legs around Akira's waist. "Does it anger you? Seeing me _perform_ for them?"

"Definitely."

He moaned out as Akira sucked and nibbled at his ivory white skin, rubbing their crotches together. "D-don't leave any marks. I still have to go out and address the audience, remember?"

"Why should I?" He growled, kissing back up his neck towards his ear. He could feel the space between them now, rather how little of it there was. Every rub on his dick, even through his clothes, sent pleasure rippling through Akira's body. Hearing Akechi whimper and moan in his ear added fuel to the fire, igniting his desire to rip off the detective's clothes and take him on the P.E desk. "They back your every move, don't they? They should be able to see you the way I am right now... Flustered, needy, completely at my mercy."

Akechi whined and pulled Akira off his flesh, a strand of saliva connecting from his tongue to Goro's neck. "Not right now, okay? As much as I enjoy this, I need to at least apologize to your student body." He used his legs, still wrapped around the dark-haired boy's waist, to yank him forward. "We can continue this at LeBlanc, okay?"

Akira could do nothing but nod, feeling his face flush. 

"Good." Goro untangled himself from the other boy, fixing his clothes and making sure he looked presentable in the reflection of the window. Akira stood breathless, watching him absentmindedly. _God, you're so_ so _pretty..._ "I'll see you later, no?"

"Y-yeah, see you later."

Akechi smiled and a cold hand wrapped around the other boy's heart. With one last look at Akira, Goro left him in the P.E faculty office. He buried his face in his hands, pushing his glasses back up on his nose. "See you later..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my writing technique on how to get around the fact Morgana is constantly with protag is just getting characters to (essentially) tell him to fuck off,,,
> 
> But WOW! this took wayyy longer to write than I would've liked. but its here now.
> 
> comments and kudos are appreciated ♡


	4. is this burning right? am i living bridges?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akechi goes over to LeBlanc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yaaaaay smexy time :3 this took me 10000% more effort than I thought it was going to, but I'm just happy I managed to write this during exam season

The first rule of Phantom Thieving: Always have a plan. Traversing palaces was no easy feat, it was physically draining and one wrong step could result in the end of your life. You had to meticulously plan and pace your journey otherwise you're risking not only your own but everyone else's safety. There was no room for error and barely any room for making it up as you go.

This was the first since becoming a Phantom Thief that Akira didn't have a plan.

What are you supposed to do when your rival pins you to a counter, kisses you, doesn't return your calls for a month, only for you to make out with him on a table and he's coming over to your house in a couple of hours? Akira didn't know. He wasn't sure if it was proper etiquette to go out and buy snacks beforehand or not. Are you supposed to prepare for these things at all? His heartbeat thumped in time with the slapping of his feet against the wet pavement.

Maybe he could roll with the fact his plan was no plan.

Yeah, that was it.

He could pass off his lack of experience and nerves easily in his head but that didn't stop the swirling feeling in his stomach. A hurricane churned up his insides in such a way he thought he was going to be sick.

"Hey, Akira, I gotta talk to you about something." Morgana bounded up onto his shoulder, leaving the bag open.

"Not right now," He spoke through gritted teeth.

"But this is important!"

Akira huffed, fishing LeBlanc's door keys out of his pocket and placing them in the door. The cafe was dark, every corner shrouded in shadows. It was so quiet you could probably hear a pin drop. "Morgana, I'm really not in the mood right now. I've got a guest coming over and my wires are already crossed over Phantom Thieves business."

He meowed in confusion. "Is it Akechi?"

"How'd you guess that?"

"Inference, duh. Is that why he pulled you aside earlier?"

 _Mhmm, totally._ "Yeah, he wants to talk... Again."

Morgana jumped over Akira's shoulder, onto the floor of the cafe. "Just... Be careful with him. I have reason to believe he's not what he seems."

 _Please, don't do this right now._ "What do you mean?"

"Well, I-"

The cat stopped talking as he was interrupted by the chiming of the bell. "Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something?" Akira turned to see Akechi Goro, wearing his signature T.V perfect smile. His cunning molten caramel eyes looked Akira up and down, like a piece of meat. The raven-haired male suddenly felt aware of how much space his body was taking up as he watched Goro adjusted his cufflinks. "I must say this situation brings some deja vu, wouldn't you say, Kurusu-Kun?"

"Just a little bit." He smiled, feeling his stomach-churning. "Can we continue this conversation later, Mona? As you can see, I have a guest."

Morgana growled. "Fine! I'm gonna go see Futaba," he grumbled, the song of the doorbell signaling his exit.

"He didn't sound so pleased to see me," Goro chuckled nervously, placing his briefcase down on the floor next to the booth before sliding his way across the seat. "I guess my performance earlier didn't go over well with your teammates." 

Akira sat across from him. "I can't exactly blame them for being skeptical. You threatened to expose our identities to the police then pressured us into a job highly afflicted with a conflict of interest."

"...Aren't all your Phantom Thieves jobs conflicts of interest?"

He bit into his bottom lip, feeling his face flush. "...I guess you're correct."

Goro laughed, a happy sound that seemed to radiate through Akira's chest. It wasn't the same light airy tone he used whenever a talk show host asked one too many personal questions, this one seemed deeper, more real. It wasn't an act or a character or a pleasantry... It was genuine. "You're very amusing, Kurusu-Kun. I worry about your tunnel vision."

"Trust me, I worry about me too." 

"I can't help but wonder how you keep your idiots in check."

Akira furrowed his eyebrows. " _My_ idiots?"

The other boy pulled at the edge of his leather gloves. Akira's eyes were fixated on Goro's hands, he watched intently as Akechi's pale fingers traced his gloves. Something about the way Goro's fingers moved sent shivers up Akira's spine. "Yes, your idiots. Your teammates. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but many of them don't seem that bright. I have a feeling they wouldn't have gotten as far as they have without you."

He felt a cold hand grasp his heart. "They're good people, not without conviction. I'm sure they'd be fine without me."

"Don't sell yourself short, Akira. I've seen how they look to you for guidance. They'd be lost in your absence." Akira looked up to meet Goro's eyes. His red pupils seemed to shimmer with something Akira might dare to call admiration. "I've also seen the way they look at you, physically, of course."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing really," He smiled charmingly, moving his hands forwards. His fingertips brushed the back of Akira's knuckles. "I'm just simply stating that they all probably want to be added to your harem, that is if they are not already."

Akira's face flushed. "That's not-"

Goro leaned over the table, grabbing the other boy by the collar of his shirt. "Which one of them was your favorite fuck, hmm?"

"What?!" He choked on his saliva.

"I bet it was Kitagawa-Kun. You should see the way his gaze follows you, I can practically hear his filthy thoughts," Akechi spat, pulling Kurusu closer. The space between them was nearly none. "He's an artist, right? He was probably good with his hands. Did you have fun with him, Akira~?" He purred.

The raven-haired male broke out of Akechi's grasp, trying to ignore the burning embarrassment searing through him. He couldn't say there hadn't been nights along in the attic where he brokenly moaned out Yusuke's name as he came, imagining it was his hand in his trousers instead of his own. The night he stayed at LeBlanc was enough to get Akira's fantasies running wild for weeks on end. _Fuck your shitty deduction skills..._ "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"You must forgive me for how it looks on my end," He smirked as he grabbed the other boy's chin. "You're... tempting, _obviously_ you know that. I see the way you are with people; Open, accepting, welcoming enough for them to let their guards down. They bounce their issues off you and in return, you use your charm to get them to adore you. You lure them in to add notches to the bedpost. Do you think they follow you around because they adore your personality? I'm sure you've banged at least a few of them at this point."

Akira groaned, pushing Goro's hand away. "I swear that all those girls you're so jealous of are just my friends..."

"What about that one that comes over late at night?" He fired back.

"Who...? Oh! Kawakami, yeah she's just my homeroom teacher."

Akechi's jaw dropped. "I'm not stupid, Kurusu-san! She wears a maid outfit!"

"Yeah, she works as a maid for her night job. She just cleans my room and does my laundry, makes me coffee sometimes. It's not what you think, I promise."

The detective stared blankly at Akira, his eyes trying to pull the dishonesty out in that statement. "You... You're absolutely ridiculous! You expect me to believe such a lie?"

Akira smirked, leaning back in his booth chair. He crossed his arms over his chest and took in the sight that was Goro Akechi. He sat across from the younger 'delinquent' boy, face red with embarrassment. Those molten caramel pupils seemed to be frantically bouncing from object to object, never staying in one place for too long. Akechi's normal cool composure had melted away. It left Akira with the blushing bashful boy in front of him. "You're cute when you're frazzled."

"I _am_ not-"

The other boy reached out and grabbed Goro by the tie, pulling him against the edge of the table. "If this table wasn't in the way, I'd show you just how cute you can get."

He smiled. "Curse flat wooden inanimate objects blocking the path. If only I knew an acrobatic Phantom Thief who'd have no trouble getting over it. Oh well, I've once again been thwarted by a table."

Akira giggled, "Even if such a person existed, I'm pretty sure Sojiro would kill them for getting his tables dirty."

"That's true, he is pretty scary, however..." Goro smirked, batting his eyelashes. "What Sakura-San doesn't know won't hurt him."

That was all the convincing Akira needed. He jumped across the table, throwing himself against the detective. Goro's back hit the booth seat with a thud as Akira landed on top of him. Their lips connected, heated, and hungry. Fire raced through Akira's skin like electricity shooting through his veins, everything felt hot. Every hair stood on end, every inch of skin ignited. Akechi's teeth dug into the raven boy's bottom lip, making him moan in response. Akira pulled him into his lap. His hands became tangled in the detective's hair, grasping at it like a tether to reality. None of this felt real; The boy who Akira desired more than anything was now sitting in his lap, his hands all over his chest. He was scared the second he let go of Goro, he'd disappear into dust and he would wake up alone. This didn't feel real, it couldn't be real, and yet...

Akira was ripped from his thoughts as he got shoved downwards, his head hitting the booth seat hard. Above him, Goro smirked. "You're cute when you're frazzled," He mocked.

"Oh shut up," Akira whined, yanking Akechi by the tie. Their lips crashed together roughly as Goro cupped the sides of Akira's face while straddling him. Akira hooked his fingers around the belt loops in the other boy's pants, pulling their crotches together. Goro whined into the raven-haired boy's mouth, a breathy sound that sent heat racing through his cock. Akechi's mouth broke from Akira's swollen lips and traveled across his jaw. Hot, wet kisses were placed across his neck and his skin came alight. The feeling of lips sucking purple marks and biting into his neck made Akira squirm. He bucked his hips up against Goro and he could feel him smirk against his neck. 

"God, if only your teammates could see you now," He chuckled, pushing his hand up through Akira's shirt. "Their tough, fearless leader melting against my touch..."

"Akechi," He whined, running his hands through the other boy's hair. 

He hissed against his skin, "That's not my name, _Kurusu-Kun_."

Akira's face flushed. "G-Goro..."

"Good boy," He smirked, tugging on the hem of Akira's shirt. "Can I take this off?"

He nodded.

Goro grabbed his shirt and pulled it off, knocking his glasses off his nose. They fell on the seat next to his face and Akira went to reach for them. Akechi grabbed his hand and his whole face heated up. "Do you need these to see?" He asked.

Akira shook his head.

He smirked. "Keep them off, I want to enjoy watching your face as I make you unravel."

The words spilling from Goro's mouth sent a jolt of heat through Akira's groin. He bit back the moan building in his throat as the other boy sat back to kiss him across his collarbones and down his chest. Akira's neck was throbbing; Pale porcelain skin covered in saliva and hickies. He knew it'd be hard to explain to the others (especially Morgana and Ann) but at that moment, the rest of the world melted away. There was nothing except him and Goro in this quiet dark cafe corner, the silence of the night filled with nothing but Akira's quiet whining. The only sensation that mattered was the feeling of Goro's lips sucking his skin purple.

Goro's mouth trailed kisses over his chest and down his abdomen. Akira could feel his stomach tying itself in a knot, his cock tight against the fabric of his pants. He whimpered as the detective's mouth planted a kiss just below his bellybutton. His hands left Akira's waist and came to rest on his thighs, inches away from his dick. The raven-haired boy sucked in a sharp breath. 

"Something wrong, Akira?" He asked, smiling innocently.

He shook his head, feeling his heartbeat roaring in his ears.

Goro smiled, letting his hands inch ever closer to Akira's crotch. He could feel his cock straining against his pants. He needed something, anything other than the friction of the fabric rubbing against his hardened member. The detective's hands skimmed over his Akira's thighs, coming to rest on the boy's zipper. "Is there something you want, Kurusu-San?" Akechi batted his eyelashes.

"You," He breathed roughly, threading his hands through Goro's hair. "God fucking dammit, what else could I want?"

He met Akira's gray eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Positive, now just fucking do it before I lose my mind."

Akechi fumbled with Akira's zip and within a number of seconds, the dark-haired boy's pants were around his ankles, leaving him in his boxers. Akira looked Goro up and down, "Why am I the only one semi-naked?"

Goro giggled and his face flushed. Akira's heartbeat skipped a beat at the sight. "Do you wanna do the honors?"

"Gladly," He exasperated, fumbling with the buttons of the other boy's overcoat. Once loose enough, Goro shrugged it off his shoulders. With more shaky hands and discarded clothing, the other boy was left in nothing but his trousers. Akira sat back on his elbows, taking in the sight of Goro Akechi above him. His eyes traced every curve and shape of Goro's body. He pushed upwards, trailing kisses on his chest. The other boy shuddered, using one hand to brace himself against the table and using the other to grasp Akira's hair. Akira sucked and bit at the ivory skin. Above him, Goro moaned, kneading his hands further into the other's scalp. "God, you're so pretty, Goro," Akira chuckled against the other boy's stomach.

"S-shut up..." He groaned. "You don't mean that."

Akira pulled away, looking Akechi in the eye. "Of course I do, you're absolutely gorgeous."

Goro's face went red as he leaned closer to the other's face. He breathed in a shaky breath, obviously thinking over his next move. Akira waited in anticipation but nothing could prepare him from the words that rolled of Akechi's tongue.

"I bet I'd look prettier with your cock in my mouth."

Akira could feel his heartbeat roaring in his ears. Goro backed off the booth seat and kneeled on the floor. _Holy shit, I can't believe this is happening!_ "Alright then, show me." He challenged.

His hands grabbed Akira's thighs and yanked him forward. Akira's breath was knocked from his lungs as Akechi kissed up his thigh. He was so close, _so close,_ to where Akira needed friction. He wanted this so badly, he needed it. Nights ago, this was a devoid fantasy that had no real grounds. Now, the detective prince was kneeling on the floor of LeBlanc with his mouth near Akira's dick.

He left out a throaty groan as Goro took his clothed member into his mouth. Even through the fabric of his pants, Akira could feel the heat and saliva of the other's mouth on his straining cock. It sent electricity bolting through his veins; He felt like he was on fire. Akechi's tongue swirled around Akira's dick which was still trapped in his boxers. The raven-haired boy threw his head back and let the lewd noises in his throat roll off his tongue. His moans echoed through the empty walls of LeBlanc and he couldn't help but think about how pissed of Sojiro would be if he ever found out about this encounter.

"Ngh, Goro..." He whined, bucking his hips.

Goro's mouth came off Akira's dick with a _pop_ , and he smirked. "You sound so alluring when you moan my name like that." 

"Y-you're actually the worst," He groaned, trying to steady his breathing.

"So you don't want me to keep going?"

"Fuck yes, _please_ keep going."

His eyes sparkled with mischievousness. "On second thought, I think I like you better when you beg." He pulled Akira's boxers down his thighs and his erection sprang free. Akira hissed as Akechi grabbed his cock and licked a strip from the base to the tip. The feeling of a hot wet tongue sucking at the tip of his dick sent ecstasy through his whole body. He made eye contact with Goro as the other boy teased, sliding Akira's in and out of his mouth slowly. The gaze between them was like a burning fire, slowly combusting the cells between them.

Akira tangled his hands in Goro's hair, yanking him forward. "Don't tease me like that," He growled.

His voice seemed to resonate with the older boy, who took Akira's entire length in his mouth. Akira could feel his tip skimming the back of Goro's throat and it sent shivers down his spine. With hollowed cheeks, Akechi got to work. He worked his tongue against the underside of his length and Akira whined softly. He could feel himself unraveling under the touch. It was obvious by the clumsiness that Goro had never done this before but _god_ , was he good at it. He gave breathy little pants and tried to resist the urge and twitch in his hips. His toes curled. 

"Fuck, fuck," He groaned, bucking his hips up. "H-how are you so good at everything?"

It wasn't just the fact Akechi was good at it; It was that he looked good doing it too. Akira couldn't take his eyes off him. He looked so pretty with saliva dripping from the corner of his mouth, bruised lips wrapped around the head of his cock. He wanted to take pictures; He wanted to frame it and look at it every night before bed. It was the prettiest sight he'd ever seen.

He had half a mind to pull Akechi by the hair and face-fuck him until he was crying. He'd dreamt of this moment for months; Reducing T.V's favorite sweetheart detective to a teary-eyed mess underneath him. Akira thought about how cute Akechi would look, pretty and fucked-out with rosy and wet cheeks. He bucked his hips upwards.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted you like this," He purred, "You look so cute on your knees..."

Goro groaned around his cock in response, the vibrations sending jolts through the other boy. Akira grabbed a fistful of Akechi's hair and thrust into his mouth. He coughed but kept his tongue swirling around his length, his cheeks hollow. 

"Everyone thinks you're such a good boy," Akira continued, "who wouldn't with the persona you put on? The good boy detective who solves crimes in his spare time while acing his exams. If only they knew what you were really like... What would all your adoring fangirls say if they saw you drooling over my cock, hmm? Would the talk show hosts still treat you the same if they knew how much of a whore you are?" He grabbed him by the hair and started thrusting into the back of his throat in a steady motion as Goro gave up control.

He moaned in response. Akira smirked. "So you like that, huh?" Goro nodded, using his hands to pump the base of the boy's dick. 

Akira threw his head back and moaned. He could feel in the knot his stomach slowly starting to unwind as he reached his limit. His muscles tensed. "G-Goro, I'm... Fuck! I'm-"

The other boy didn't pull away, instead opting for taking Akira's full length in his mouth until the tip of his dick hit the back of his throat. The raven-haired male grunted as he exploded into Goro's throat, the pleasure sending ripples through his body. Sweat dripped from Akira's brow as he watched Akechi cough and splutter, before swallowing. "Holy fuck, that's hot..." He exasperated as Goro wiped the stray saliva from the side of his mouth.

"You taste better than I thought you would..." He smirked, getting on his knees.

Akira narrowed his eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing," Goro giggled, sliding across the seat across from Akira. "That was... unexpected."

"What?"

Akechi scratched the back of his neck and Akira couldn't help but let his eyes roam across his ivory skin. His collarbones, his chest. Every part of him was perfect. "All of this ordeal, I guess. It's a bit unorthodox."

He gasped playfully. "Which parts?"

"It's not very often you have sex with your rival, especially when you 'battle' is being watched on a global stage." He sighed playfully, "Although I can't say I'm mad."

Akira smirked. "Exactly, now-"

He was interrupted by his phone buzzing three times. He scoffed as he checked the message.

 **Futaba:** Hey, Akira

 **Futaba:** Mona's being a pain >:(

 **Futaba:** Can I send him back to you? Pleeeease? :3

 **Akira:** rlly? right now? -_-

 **Futaba:** he's interrupting my hacking!!!! >.<

 **Futaba:** This is serious business yknow!! 

**Futaba:** It's not like you're doing anything important

 **Futaba:** just kick Akechi out or let Mona join the convo

 **Futaba:** Pleeeeease :3

He sighed, feeling the fire leave his veins.

 **Akira:** Fiiiiine

Akira sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Morgana's apparently annoying the fuck out of Futaba, she's gonna send him back soon."

"It's probably for the best."

"But you didn't..." He glanced down at his crotch.

Goro winced. "Yes, I know. Unforeseen circumstances have come up, have they not? It's alright, I really don't mind."

"But now I feel bad," Akira pouted. "You worked so hard and I can't even return the favor."

The other boy giggled, sliding a loose strand of hair out of his face. "You're so cute when you're pouty. Don't worry, you can always pay me back later." He winked, picking up his discarded clothes from the floor and messily throwing them back on. "I look forward to working with you on our deal." 

"As do I, detective." He leaned against the counter.

"Goodnight, Kurusu-Kun."

"Goodnight, Goro."

He smiled at the words, the very joy of the image melting Akira's heart. With one last jingle of the bell, Goro Akechi left. Akira buried his face in his hands, trying to contain the ear-to-ear grin spreading across his face. His face felt like it was burning; He sat there, in the warm silence of LeBlanc, soaking in the pure joy he felt. _I am so in love with that boy..._

Akira got back into his clothes, going over the thought that just shot through his brain. 'Love'... That's what he had called it, didn't he? _Love_. It was such a strong word and yet he didn't feel awkward about using it. It was such a strong thing; An undying declaration to someone. Love... He'd never really given what Goro and he had a name. It was a flirtatious rivalry, maybe even a spark, but _love_? That word seemed so drastic but... It perfectly. "Love," He repeated, breathing out a giggle. "I love you, Goro Akechi."

Saying it out loud, even if it was to nobody, felt extraordinary. 

The door to LeBlanc swung open, pulling Akira from his thoughts. "I can't believe you keep pawning me off on people!" Morgana hissed, jumping up on the counter. "I am sick of you leaving me!"

"Sorry," He giggled. "You know how the ace detective is. He doesn't trust you as far as he can throw you."

The cat raised his furry eyebrows. "...Why do you look so happy? And why do you look like you've been through a hurricane? Your hair is a mess!"

Akira desperately tried to wipe the smirk off his face. "Oh, it's... Uh, nothing. It's windy outside."

"Wait! Don't move!

He froze.

Morgana trotted closer to him, stretching his neck outwards. "There are these strange purple marks on your neck... What are those from?"

Akira felt his eyes widen. Akechi, you bastard! "Uh, they're nothing. Just some Metaverse wounds that I forgot to heal up."

"Are you sure?" He narrowed his pupils.

"Positive."

"Whatever, that's not important. How'd it go?"

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Akechi and I came to... an agreement.'

"About that... Remember what I said earlier?" He asked.

"...With you not trusting Akechi?"

He nodded, "I have reason to believe he's not what he seems." Morgana crawled closer to the boy, his expression becoming deadly serious

"What is it?"

"As much as I wanna believe that _ace detective_ , I don't think Akechi is being honest with us."

 _Really, now? Right now? He **just** sucked my dick, and you wanna do this now?_ "What do you mean?"

He felt claws digging through his school shirt as Morgana climbed up onto his shoulders and curled around his neck. "Do you remember that day at the T.V station when you first met Akechi?"

"Of course." _How could I forget?_

"Well, I've thought about something. When we were talking, he came up to us and joined in the conversation. Something about that conversation didn't sit right with me then and now I think I know why."

He scoffed. "Why, Mona?"

"Akechi said that one of us mentioned pancakes and told us to 'enjoy our cake'."

"...And?"

"The only person who mentioned anything remotely to do with pancakes was me when we were talking about Dome Town."

Akira's body went rigid, his blood turning to ice. "W-what are you saying?"

"He acted like he heard me for the first time in the P.E faculty office but to have commented about pancakes, he must've heard me. Which means he's lying to us!"

A wave of dread came bearing down on Akira, tons upon tons of weight. It was nearly enough to knock him off his feet. The ground swayed beneath him as his stomach contorted. He struggled under the pressure and weight of what Morgana had said, drowning in the implications. Minutes ago, he was floating on cloud nine. Now, he was free-falling; Rapidly approaching the ground with every passing second. Goro Akechi, who'd be Japan's teenage heartthrob. Goro Akechi, the hard-working second coming of the detective who'd invaded talk-show segments for months now. Goro Akechi, who chewed at his bottom lip whenever he was losing a chess game as he tried to think of his comeback. Goro Akechi, who saw disagreements as a learning curve even when on national television. Goro Akechi, who he passed in the train station at least once a week. Goro Akechi, who played billiards with his right hand as an unadvised handicap. Goro Akechi, whose smile lit up the dark quiet of LeBlanc evenings. Goro Akechi, who looked at Akira Kurusu like he was something extraordinary.

Goro Akechi, who looked at Akira Kurusu and made him feel like he was flying.

"Are you sure? You could've misheard him."

"No, I'm one hundred percent positive I'm the only one who mentioned something about pancakes."

The pedestal in Akira's brain began crumbling at the foundations, crashing into the sea. The swelling balloon in his chest popped; It left him deflated. "Holy fuck... So, he's been to the Metaverse _before_ we even faced Kaneshiro?"

Morgana nodded. "It seems there's more to the charming detective prince than he lets on. If I had to guess-"

_Please, don't say it. I know what you're going to say and I know deep down it's true, believe me, I do, but if you say it's real. Please, don't-_

"I'd say he's behind the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns."

Akira felt like he was a glass sculpture that had been superglued back together. The slightest tap or disturbance was going to shatter him. He swallowed the hot lump of emotion building up in his chest and managed to get out the few words he could muster. "So... what are we supposed to do now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im reallllyyyy tempted to write a stripper au...
> 
> if i wrote one, would anyone read it?


	5. how are you going to scream my name when I gave all I got?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira receives two phonecalls and Futaba does some spying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kiiiiinda messed with the in-game timeline here a little bit for my own selfish reasons :3 woopsie
> 
> ALSO! this one is kinda short,,, i was gonna include the next chapter as a part of this one but it would've been like 9000 words and I really didn't wanna do that soooo this is kinda a filler? I apologize in advance

Akira's worst fear had been realized.

For the past few weeks, the Phantom Thieves had been observing Goro Akechi. They monitored his actions closely while navigating the maze that was Sae Niijima's palace. Akira was mesmerized by how quick the boy was on his feet; His limbs seemed to move in a well-timed coordinated manner. He passed it off as beginner's luck, which made Akira's stomach do a somersault. He wanted to ignore all the tell-tale signs. The pancake comment, the apparent experience with traversing the Metaverse. More than anything, he wanted to ignore the thumping in his heart whenever Goro even looked his way. Keeping his eyes trained on the detective was a bad habit Akira had picked up in battle; One that caused more than a few incidents with shadows. Looking at Goro Akechi was a rush of fire enveloping his heart, setting his soul alight.

He hated every second of it.

Deep down, Akira wanted to believe it was all coincidence; Accidental incrimination by an ace detective. For a while, he did.

Until the evening of the phone call.

He was lying in bed as rain raged outside, Morgana cuddled into his chest. After so many nights, the weight and warmth of his furry friend no longer bothered him. The cat seemed fast asleep, his head buried underneath his tail. Akira's phone started buzzing next to him. Carefully, as not to disturb Morgana, he shifted his arm over and viewed the ID. Futaba.

"Do you know what time it is?" He groaned, trying to wipe the sleep from his eyes. "I have school tomorrow, y'know?"

 _"I know but,"_ Her voice sounded shaken, broken almost. Akira jolted, really waking up. _"This is important. I... have a development with our Crow issue."_

Akira's heart sank. He gently shifted Morgana into his lap as he sat up. The cat did not stir in his slumber. "W-what..." The words got stuck as his throat seized clothes. It was a question he dare not ask. He couldn't, at least not without mental preparation. He sucked in all the air his fragile lungs could muster and forced the sentence to roll off his tongue. "What is it?"

Futaba took a second. The silence was deafening. _"Since bugging his phone, I went through his texts. There was nothing shady there so for a while I had hoped Mona was wrong... But after tonight there's no doubt in my mind. Goro Akechi is Black Mask."_

A cold hand twisted around his heart. "What did you find?" He gritted his teeth, preparing for impact.

_"I intercepted a phone call that sounds pretty shady. It... It just happened, so I wanted to let you know."_

"What did it say?"

Silence.

"Futaba, what did it say?!" Akira barked.

He could practically hear her flinch on the other line. _"...He was talking to some shady politician about... You know what, it's probably better if I show you. Gimmie a minute and I'll call you back."_

"Don't you dare hang up on me!"

But the telltale sign of the 'call ended' screen signaled the end of their conversation. Akira wanted to cry, to scream at her for leaving him in such anticipation. He threw his phone down on the bed, burying his head in his hands. He could feel hot tears wielding up behind his eye sockets. Hollow screams built up in his chest but he didn't dare release them. A quiet hiccup passed his parted lips; He sobbed into his hand. This was the worst thing that could've ever happen. Finally, _finally,_ he found a guy who seemed to understand him. The flirtatious banter between chess matches and billiards games seemed to set Akira's soul alight. But of course, things didn't go his way. He grasped desperately at the curling dark strands of his hair.

Akira was shaken as the phone went off again. He wiped his wet cheeks and picked up. "What have you got, Futaba?" He asked.

_"Oh, I'm sorry to disappoint you, Kurusu-San. I didn't realize you were expecting another call."_

Akechi's voice rang in his eyes like a live wire. "...Goro?"

The giggle at the other end of the line sent ripples of sadness through him. _"Yes, it's me... D-did I call at a bad time?"_

"It's fine, I was just... having a moment."

_"If you want, I can call back later. It's really no issue."_

"No, please!" Akira's voice sounded hoarse. It shattered like glass as he spoke. "I... I'm glad you called. I really needed to hear your voice."

There was a sound of something dropping, followed by silence.

"Akechi?"

_"My apologies if this comes off as insensitive, Akira, but... Are you crying?"_

He sniffled, wiping tears from his eyes. "Am I really that obvious?"

Goro giggled softly and the hand around Akira's heart squeezed. _"You've never been one for subtly. The first day we met you didn't hold back your support for your own sense of justice. It was admirable, really."_

"Nobody's ever called my pigheadedness admirable before." He laughed bitterly, running a hand through his unruly hair. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

_"Anything."_

Akira sucked in a shaky breath. "I... I have a really hard decision to make but I don't know if I'm going to be able to do what's right."

_"...This doesn't sound like a question."_

"I'm getting to that!" He snapped at the other's sarcastic comment. "Please, just... let me finish."

Goro's tone of voice became soft. _"Then, by all means... proceed."_

"There's this tough choice I have to make. It's not even a choice, really, it's a necessity. And I know it's for the greater good and everyone is expecting me to do it and it's so much pressure but... Fuck, Goro, I don't know if I can. All my friends are relying on me to make the right decision and go through with this but I can't... I can't do it!" He sobbed, grasping at strands of his hair. Hiccups wretched his whole body as he crumbled. "I have to but I can't, so what the fuck am I supposed to do?!"

The silence was deafening as Akira cried into his hands. It lasted seconds but felt like years. _"Akira... First of all, calm down. Listen to me, it's gonna be okay."_

"No, it's not! It's never going to be okay again because you-"

He paused, catching himself.

"...Do you love me, Goro?"

The reply was soft. _"...What?"_

Akira sniffled. "Do you... Do you love me? Do you think about me as often as I do about you? Do I soak and breed and fucking _consume_ every inch of your brain? Do you spend every waking moment wondering how I'm doing? Fuck, do you... Do you fucking love me, Goro Akechi?"

_"I care about you, Kurusu-Kun. A lot."_

"That's not what I'm asking!" He was on the brink of hysteria, hiccuping with every breath. "I just need to know before..." _Before I'm going to do something I regret._

Goro took a moment of silence. Akira relished in the torturous seconds that could've lasted years and he would've been none the wiser. _"Do you... love me, Akira?"_ He asked.

"Yes..." Akira sniffled. "At least, I think so. I don't know how else to describe how I feel but all I know is I enjoy your company more than anybody else's... And I know this selfish and conceited and manipulative of me but... When I'm with you, I feel like it was all worth it. The criminal charge, the trial, the palaces, and everything else fucked up that's happened to me in the past year." He wiped his nose and tried to steady his irregular breathing. "I don't regret any of it because I got you out of it. At least, I'd like to think I have you..." His voice trailed off.

_"...I don't know how to answer your question, Kurusu-Kun."_

A molten dagger twisted in Akira's heart. "Well, I guess that's an answer in of itself." He spat.

Akechi huffed. _"It's not like that, I just-"_

"Goodnight, Goro."

_"Wait, Akira-"_

But it was too late. Akira ended the call and threw his phone down on the bed, desperately grasping as strands of his hair. He tried to silence the aching sobs erupting from his throat. Morgana lay sleeping in his lap, unaware. Fire stung down Akira's cheeks, eroding at his skin. Minutes ticked into hours as he lay there, staring at the ceiling. He waited for a call from Futaba that never came. Eventually, he passed out from exhaustion.

* * *

Akira didn't go to school for the next few days. He didn't move from his spot, wrapped in the blanket on his futon. Even with the constant nagging from Morgana, he couldn't bring himself to get out of bed. His friends and fellow thieves attempted to text but he didn't dare reply. He couldn't bring himself to want to lie to them about where he was. He saw their plans formulating on how to take down Akechi but never gave any input. It was simply too hard for him to do so. The sadness came in waves and he seemed to be drowning in them. It's not like he had to be anywhere, anyway. They had finished traversing Sae's palace and the calling card was ready for the date, so why should he? He shivered at the implications of what calling card day would mean. _Goro Akechi is going to try and kill me tomorrow... And I have to just stand by and watch him betray us. I have to trust that Futaba's plan will work..._

"Akira!" Sojiro called from downstairs. "You have a visitor!"

"I don't want to see them..." He murmured into his blanket, to nobody in particular.

The soft creaking of the floorboards made him groan as he rolled over. Futaba stood there, her headphones curled around her neck. Her posture was slouched as she awkwardly fiddled with her fingers, a plastic bag draped over her wrists. It seemed to be filled with something, likely food. "H-hi Akira... The others said you haven't been at school lately."

He rolled back over. "Don't wanna talk about it."

"A-are you sure? I don't mind listening..." She sat down on the edge of his bed. "You seem like you need somebody to listen to you."

"I said I don't want to talk about," he grumbled.

Futaba grimaced, placing the bag down on the floor. Akira glanced at her, taking in the worry that laced her eyes. It was like a dagger to the heart. "I-I get that, when my mom died I didn't want to mention it to anyone. If I didn't acknowledge it, it didn't feel real, you know? N-Not that I'm implying your mom died, I'm sure she's still very much alive. At least, I think she is." She gasped, horror staining her face. "Oh no... Did your mom die?! Is that why you've locked yourself inside?! Oh my god, I'm so sorry!"

Akira stifled a laugh. "No, Futaba, my mom is still alive."

She heaved a sigh of relief. "Oh thank fuck, if she wasn't, I wouldn't have forgiven myself," she giggled. "I'm just... Bad with words."

"I know, it's okay."

"I just want to help but I don't know how."

He sat up, scooping up the bag off the floor. He took a peek inside. "Well, your collection of instant ramen is certainly helpful."

Futaba playfully slapped his shoulder. "Hey, I tried my best! You love my ramen!"

"That I do," he giggled. "...Thanks for coming over, Futaba. It means a lot."

"It's okay," she shrugged, leaning on his shoulder. "I feel like I owe you this much. You got me out of my darkest place, it's only fair."

Akira rested his head on top of hers, pulling her in close to his body. "I don't know how if I'm going to be able to do this..."

"What do you mean?"

"Sae's palace, tomorrow. I don't know if I'm going to be able to go through with it."

Futaba looked up at him. "I know, it's hard. You have to go marching towards your demise and be happy about it... But don't worry! I got your back. If everything goes to plan, nothing bad should happen to you... Hopefully."

Akira rolled his eyes at her uncertainty. "It's not just that. This whole Akechi thing is hard to deal with. I... I trusted him, Futaba. We hung out all the time, I actually believed when he said he considered me a friend..." He tried to ignore the stinging sensation building up behind his pupils. "I thought we had a real bond... He said I was the only person he ever felt connected with. A lot of good that'll do me now," He spat. "He... He called me a few days ago."

"H-he did?"

"Straight after you... I panicked, I didn't know what I was doing and I asked him a dumb question and... I got angry at his stupid answer." 

Futaba frowned, her eyebrows knitting together. Her calculating, cool brown eyes scanned Akira's face. He felt like a wall of code causing a software program to get stuck in a bad loop, and she was fixing the error. "That's... actually why I'm here. I kinda sort maaaaybe overheard your phone call..."

"You... what?"

Akira's mind started to spin. Fog clouded his brain as the pit in his stomach sank even further. She knew. The fear that trickled into his veins felt eerily familiar. 

"I had his phone bugged to record automatic, albeit rough, transcripts to my drive. When I was editing the original file to send to you, another one came through. I actively listened in because I thought it was another shady call..." Her face turned bright red as she fiddled with her fingers. "I-I didn't mean to invade your privacy! I just... I'm sorry about everything. I'm so fucking sorry, Akira, I know it can't be easy."

"Don't." His voice was steely cold.

"Don't what?"

"Apologize." He blinked away the tears building up behind his eyes. "It makes it harder to deal with."

She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, pulling him into an awkward side hug. "I want you to know, I think you did change him."

Akira forced himself to stomach a bitter laugh. "He's trying to kill me, Futaba."

"Yeah, I know. But between you and mean, he doesn't seem too happy about it."

His heart did a backflip. "What?"

Futaba grimaced before pulling her phone from her back pocket. She skimmed through files. "I-It's probably just better to show you. I meant to send this to you the other night, but the other phone call was... distracting." She hit play.

 _"Maybe, while he's in custody, we can say that he stole the guard's gun and committed suicide."_ Akechi's voice flowed through the phone speakers, conniving and malice. Akira could practically hear the cold smirk curling on his lips. _"Meanwhile, we can have our man on the inside take care of both witnesses."_

 _"There are too many variables,"_ Akira shivered at the deep voice that responded. It seemed vaguely familiar, like a voice he could hear echoing through the streets. On T.V, maybe even in person a couple of times. He couldn't place it. _"I suggested we edit the plan a little. You will be able to infiltrate the interrogating room, yes?"_

Akechi scoffed. _"Of course, they trust me."_

_"You do it. In saying that, you'll need to kill one of our own to make it convincing. The door guard, too but do it a couple of weeks later as to not draw attention."_

_"You want... me to do it?"_

The hurt in his voice was undisguisable. Akira could feel himself clench. 

The man laughed. _"You are more reliable than any lacky I could ever pay. You're thorough, Akechi. You leave no trace. It's perfect. And you did say you have gained the trust of leader, no?"_

_"That is true..."_

_"Well then, it's settled. Besides, you'll get that shot of sadistic adrenaline seeing him watch someone he trusts shoot him in the head. That'll be fun for you."_

Akira could feel the anguish radiating from the phone call. Nowhere near as enthusiastic as a bloodthirsty murderer should be about his next victim. A storm raged inside his chest, overcoming every rational desire he felt. _"I suppose it will be, Shido-san."_

_"Call me after the job is done."_

"The line went dead after that," Futaba stated as she put away her phone. "I looked into the guy on the other end. His name is Masayoshi Shido and he's running for prime minister. And here is an odd coincidence; The psychotic breakdowns and mental shutdowns only started happening after he began his rein in politics." She smirked up at Akira. "If I had to guess, I'd say Shido is the orchestrator of this while Akechi is his mere pawn."

Akira stared at her, dumbfounded. "Shit, you're good."

"I know~," She said in a sing-song voice. "Fear the power of the OG Medjed!"

"Consider it feared," He cracked a smile.

Futaba's presence brought out a warm side of Akira he rarely ever saw in himself. She reminded him of the neighborhood kids back home; Free-spirited with so much light in her eyes. She was a different kid since her change of heart. It was good to see her so happy, so full of life. "...You're the strongest person I know, Akira. I can only imagine how tough this is for you, especially with someone like Akechi..." Her voice trailed off. "The point is, I'm sure we can convince him to change his mind. If anyone can do it, it's you."

He leaned back, taking in a broken breath with his fragile lungs. "I think that'd be all too easy..."

Futaba stuck around for a few more hours before the streets began to get dark. Soijiro came in when he was closing up shop and asked if she wanted to leave with him. Akira watched from the top of the attic stairs as both of the Sakuras left him alone in the empty cafe. The creaking of the stairs signaled Morgana's return but the boy didn't bother acknowledging his presence. All Akira wanted was to lie down and let the world fade away around him.

Yet hours of staring up at the dark ceiling could only do so much. Thoughts hung around like a dark fog, clouding up his brain. Luckily, that bastard of a phone rang. He searched for it in the shadows. "...Hello?"

_"Ah, Kurusu-Kun. I didn't expect you to pick up at this time of night."_

_Goro._ "Ah, hi, Akechi... I didn't think I'd be hearing from you until tomorrow.

Akira could practically hear him wince through the phone. _"If I'm being honest, I didn't know that was I going to call you tonight until my hands were already dialing."_ He chuckled half-heartedly which sent volts of electricity shooting through the other boy's skin. _"I have a sudden burst of adrenaline, maybe due to tomorrow's heist. I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me on a late-night Mementos mission?"_

"R-right now?"

_"Certainly. Unless you have something better to be doing?"_

He rubbed his sleepless eyes and groaned. "Why are you doing this now?"

_"I just told you, I'm having a-"_

"You know what I mean." He growled, trying to sound as threatening as he could when he was half-asleep. "We have spoken since..."

Akechi sighed. _"I'm aware of that. I figured it was my fault and I didn't want you to partake in your final job as a Phantom Thief in a bad mood because of me. I may as well right my wrongs."_

 _Final job, maybe for more reason than one..._ "Well, if you're sure."

_"Of course, this is entirely up to you. If it feels too awkward then decline my offer. I... I wanted you to myself for a little while, Akira, that's all."_

Shivers traveled down his spine. There it was, the real reason. Goro Akechi always had a reason for his actions. He was the most meticulous planner Akira had ever met. A seemingly spontaneous decision was always riddled with ulterior motives.

Akira weighed the pros and cons in his head. It was (probably) too far along in Shido's plan to get Akechi to kill him now. What did he have to lose? "...I'll meet you at the station square in twenty minutes?"

Goro giggled. _"Sounds good. I'll see you there."_

Akira exasperated a sigh into his hands as the line went dead. "I really am the stupidest person alive..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> futaba and akira have the best sibling relationship and you can pry that from my cold, dead hands.


End file.
